Residents near hospital suffer parking 'nightmare'

Residents living near a hospital where more than 4,000 parking fines were issued in a single year have spoken about their "nightmare" experiences.

Staff and patients at Royal Oldham Hospital previously complained a shortage of parking options had led to medical appointments being missed and even a nurse having to change her job.

Now nearby residents say they struggle to leave their houses since badly parked cars often take over pavements in the area.

Oldham Council said it was aware of the pressures facing those who lived near the hospital.

For those living in and around Campania, Crossley, and Britton streets, the shortage of parking options at the hospital is pushing the problem to their own front doors.

Steven Shepherd told the Local Democracy Reporting Service local people had tried to get a petition going for a residents' parking scheme in the area but the council had rejected the idea.

Another resident Anne Wells-Bourne said: "It's a nightmare, an absolute nightmare."

She said her husband, who uses a wheelchair, struggled to leave the house because of people parking on the pavement.

She added: "It's hard work but nobody cares. It's been going on for ages.

"You need to do something. I just can't understand it. I was born here. I know how much it has changed."

There are a number of commercial car parks nearby and work is being carried out by Transport for Greater Manchester to improve the 409 bus route which serves the hospital.

Nadine Armitage is director of estates, facilities and capital development at the Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust, which runs The Royal Oldham Hospital.

She said the trust recognised "parking can be challenging during busy periods" and added that it was "continually looking at ways to improve access for our patients, visitors and colleagues".

Armitage said the trust was continuing "existing work to support staff travel and reduce congestion across our sites, including measures such as lift-sharing schemes, sustainable travel options and flexible working where appropriate".

An Oldham Council spokesperson said: "We are aware that parking pressures linked to busy sites such as Royal Oldham Hospital can affect a number of nearby streets.

"We are working with health partners and other organisations to look at longer-term ways to improve parking at the hospital and ensuring arrangements better meet the needs of people using the site."

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