‘There will be an accident if we’re not careful’: Action pledge on 'appalling' parking at Telford hospital

Jo Williams, the chief executive of Shropshire’s acute hospitals trust, told a meeting that “there will be an accident on that site if we’re not careful” and vowed to dust off and look again at previously rejected plans.

Councillor Derek White (Labour, Madeley & Sutton Hill) told the joint health scrutiny committee on Monday (October 6) that parking at Telford's Princess Royal Hospital (PRH) is “appalling”.

“There’s parking on the sides, there is parking on any piece of land, it’s so crazy,” he said.

“People who have disabilities can’t get anywhere near the building.”

Mrs Williams, who has led the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust (SaTH) for just over a year, told the meeting that she works at PRH on three days a week and knows the issues.

She told the scrutiny committee that she had a meeting with Telford & Wrekin Council’s chief executive David Sidaway on October 1 and options will be looked at.

Mentioning the operation of the PRH staff park-and-ride service, Mrs Williams said that the trust would be dusting off plans that it had previously rejected.

“We agreed that we would look at options that the trust has turned down for whatever reason,” she said.

“We agreed to put some plans together in terms of whatever options, including the operation of the park-and-ride.”

The park-and-ride at Telford’s PRH is for hospital staff only.

Some time ago a similar situation was in operation at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital but that has been opened up to members of the public. It has been greeted as a success.

Mrs Williams said they are committed to a meeting over the next few months and “we will put some plans together".

Councillor White appealed for the talking to stop and the action to begin.

“We really need to stop the talking and let’s see some action because quite frankly it is a nightmare,” he said.

Mrs Williams replied: “I can only apologise, you have shared your frustrations with me.

“I’ve been in post for just over a year and hadn’t realised there was a plan 10 years ago.

“I’m at PRH three days a week and I agree with you the site has been turned up in terms of the grass.

“There will be an accident on that site if we’re not careful.”

She added: “I spoke to David Sidaway on October 1 and agreed to a plan and I will bring that plan back.

“I share your frustration. I can only apologise that it has not been actioned before now.”

The committee agreed to ask for a report back to a future meeting.