Hospital staff parking poses estate 'safety risk'

10 hours ago

Charlie Stubbsin Shrewsbury

News image — Philip Davies said the road was a "huge safety risk"

Charlie Stubbs / BBC There is a man who has short grey hair, a black coat, dark blue jumper and a red, white and grey checkered shirt. He is stood on a pavement, in front of a private driveway and a park, which includes green trees, grass and yellow wildflowers. — Philip Davies said the road was a "huge safety risk"

People living on an estate in Shrewsbury have said it is becoming an unofficial overflow car park for people using a nearby hospital.

Residents say work vans and doctors cars regularly park at Bowbrook Meadows opposite Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, which currently has fewer parking spots than normal amid redevelopment linked to the multi-million pound Hospitals Transformation Programme.

A spokesperson said the hospital "recognises parking continues to be a concern" for neighbours.

The hospital was "routinely reminding its staff not to park on residential roads", they added.

In October, restrictions were put in place on Somerby Drive to stop staff, patients, visitors and contractors parking there amid safety concerns.

Dangers are also on the mind of Bowbrook residents, with Philip Davies saying there is an accident waiting to happen as traffic flow meets a line of parked vehicles.

"You take your life in your hands you feel when you're parking sometimes... not knowing what's going to be coming the other way," Davies said, suggesting there could be a row of as many as 19 parked cars.

"There are no double yellow lines, so it appears to people that they can just park where they want."

Charlie Stubbs / BBC There is a road with a blind bend either side. To the left, there is a row of cars and work vans. In the foreground, there are dark red bricked and white houses. — Squinter Pip Way has been used by contractors and hospital staff from Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

Other residents said road Squinter Pip Way had become dangerous, with people parking on blind corners and opposite junctions.

Anna Theophanatos, who moved to the estate when it was first built ten years ago, said she would not let her nine-year-old daughter walk to school because of the situation.

"The whole principle that we moved here was because the idea was she could walk to school on her own in the end because we're close to the primary, close to secondaries," she said.

"[But the situation is] becoming unsustainable really, because you've got contractors and hospital staff and residents all parking on a road that can't handle the amount of traffic that's coming through."

Charlie Stubbs / BBC There is a woman with dark shoulder-length hair, rimless glasses, a blue and purple scarf, a red coat and a light grey jumper. She is stood in front of the road, with a black car over her left shoulder. There is also green trees behind her. — Emma Micklewright, a Green Party councillor on Shrewsbury Town Council, represents an area including the estate.

Royal Shrewsbury Hospital's redevelopment is not due to be finished until 2028, prompting local town councillor Emma Micklewright to call for something to be done urgently.

"I think as we get different contractors in then there will be different pressures on this area because different people will be here," she said.

Shropshire Council said it had "no obligation to maintain, repair or to introduce parking restrictions" until it adopted the estate.

The council added its officers had been working with the estate's developers to adopt the site "over a number of years", and there would be a meeting in a couple of weeks over the matter.

One of two developers linked to the site, Barratt Homes West Midlands, told the BBC: "We are working closely with Shropshire Council to progress the adoption of the roads at the development.

"We require the legal agreements from the council to ensure the adoption can take place and a meeting has been scheduled in May to discuss the next steps. Once adopted, the council can introduce any parking restrictions or traffic calming measures if they are required."

Meanwhile Royal Shrewsbury Hospital said it was encouraging staff to use its park and ride service from Oxon, adding it would be opening a near-by offsite car park on Mytton Oak Road for contractor parking.

There are no local elections in Shropshire on 7 May.

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