Over the past four months Bixley Conservative Councillors have had two meetings with senior staff at Ipswich Hospital to emphasise the problems suffered by local residents as a result of inconsiderate parking in roads adjacent to the Hospital by Hospital staff and visitors. It is pleasing that in response to the pressure applied by your local Councillors the Hospital has recently decided to introduce the following improvements:
* From 1st October there will be free stays of up to 30 minutes in drop off areas for patients and relatives. Hopefully this will mean that many people who only wish to visit the hospital for a short time(eg to collect a prescription) will now not find it necessary to park in local roads.
* Parking charges are being reduced for patients and visitors.
* The car park on the Minsmere House site catering for 180 cars which was a planning condition for the building of the Woodlands unit should be completed by the end of November.
* The Hospital is promoting alternatives to car use to its staff eg a Cycle to Work Scheme and now has bus stop facilities on the hospital site.
* A car sharing programme is being developed.
* The Hospital circulated a news sheet to residents in nearby streets giving them a number to phone if they were experiencing problems resulting from careless hospital parking.
The Bixley Councillors are grateful for the strong support they have received from Ben Gummer MP in their discussions with the Hospital.