Waits of up to 90 minutes for hospital car parking space

Bosses at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton have apologised and said they are working to try to improve the situation.

It is believed changes made to make room for work on a major £485 million redevelopment of the hospital may have contributed to the delays.

The hospital has a long history of parking problems, with visitors regularly complaining of waits of up to an hour for a space.

However, the problem appears to have deteriorated in recent months, leaving visitors frustrated.

There have been several changes around the hospital as preparations are carried out ahead of building work.

To date 14 patient and 20 staff parking spaces have been given over to construction for the redevelopment.

Between now and June the rest of the parking along the front of the hospital’s main site, another 36 spaces, will become part of the construction area.

The hospital’s main 333 space multi-storey car park will be unaffected by the works.

A Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust spokesman said: “There has been an increase in the time it takes to park at the hospital in recent months.

“I would like to offer our apologies to anyone affected by this matter.

“We are working on innovative schemes to give patients and visitors access to more parking within our current facilities and to improve traffic flow around the hospital.

“We would expect these measures to come into effect by early summer at the latest.

“They will help with both the current parking situation and the further changes coming as part of the redevelopment.

“Over the next eight years there will be disturbances on site.

“These are inevitable if we are going to replace the series of outdated buildings that greet patients as they arrive.”

The redevelopment will include 390 underground car parking spaces which will be for patients and visitors only.

It will also give access to the hospital’s new main entrance, which will be another feature of the redevelopment.