'Inadequate': Personal stories emphasise need for more hospital parking as petition launched

"My husband is disabled and on a walker and we had an appointment at the hospital one day at 10am," she said.

"I drove around this precinct for 20 minutes and every car park in the hospital grounds and surrounding streets was full.

"I had nowhere to park and I had no way to have my husband walk up and down the hills around this hospital precinct. He just can't do that."

She and her husband missed the appointment, Mrs Ramsay said.

"It's inadequate parking now," she said. "When the redevelopment takes place, it's going to be worse, and we desperately need better parking for this hospital."

Ms Ramsay told her story as Member for Bathurst Paul Toole upped the ante on his push to have a multi-storey car park built as part of the hospital's $200m redevelopment.

Only days after the MP said he feared a big boost to parking had quietly disappeared from the redevelopment plans, he said his community petition was designed "to send a very strong message to the health bureaucrats" and the NSW Government.

For its part, Health Infrastructure told the Western Advocate recently that "improved parking, both on campus and in the surrounding streets" remains part of the $200m plan, though the number of spaces required has yet to be determined.

Health Infrastructure also says improved car parking for the redevelopment "is being planned to support the new main entry on Mitre Street".

In launching his petition, Mr Toole told the crowd and media that he understands there were plans for a multi-storey car park as far back as the last redevelopment at the hospital.

"They did not build it then and here we are now with an expansion of the hospital and car parking is not being included," he said.

The MP is adamant that extra car parking was part of the $200m project when he announced it back in mid-2022, when the Coalition was still in government, and says the designs released so far show just a loss of more than 40 current car spots inside the hospital grounds on the Mitre Street side for greenspace.

The MP was joined at the launch of the petition by Bathurst Regional councillor and Bathurst Health Services Action Group member Warren Aubin, who said he was "absolutely disgusted with the planning that's gone in, or non-planning, for car parking for our extension to the hospital".

"For a facility like this, we need at least another 150 car parks put in. At least," he said.

"When are they going to do it? Where are they going to do it? And can they please add it to their planning strategy. Because it's not on and the people of Bathurst are getting duped."

KELSO man Greg Madden said he was also well-acquainted with parking problems at the hospital.

"Because of ongoing health problems in my family, my wife and I regularly have to travel to and from the hospital, often at unexpected times," he said.

"We have been concerned about the lack of parking here as it already stands.

"We know from bitter experience that you can't get parking on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday mornings already because of clinics that are being conducted in the hospital.

"If you have to go to ambulatory care for a regular transfusion, as my wife does, your best chance is an afternoon or possibly Friday.

"It's already insufficient."

He said there "needs to be a concrete plan in place and extra funding in place to make this car park happen, otherwise our community simply doesn't have what it needs for the future".

THE Western Advocate contacted Health Infrastructure recently about the car park concerns.

"The NSW Government has committed $200 million towards the Bathurst Hospital redevelopment, which will deliver enhanced access to a range of clinical services available at the hospital for patients, staff and the community, including improved parking both on campus and in the surrounding streets," a Health Infrastructure spokesperson said in a statement.

"The planning process is continuing and the number of spaces required and location of staff, visitor and patient drop-off and longer stay parking spaces will be determined through the statutory planning process, which is expected to be completed in 2024.

"Improved car parking for the redevelopment is being planned to support the new main entry on Mitre Street, the existing entry and emergency department, while also enabling the provision of greenspace for the benefit of patients, staff and the community.

"Traffic and parking design is being informed by factors including demand, clinical and workforce planning and staff and community consultation, alongside statutory planning requirements."

JOHN Hollis spoke to the Advocate, at the petition launch, on behalf of Bathurst Combined Pensioners and Superannuants Association (CPSA).

"The hospital is built on a hill and it's unreasonable to expect that senior people who have to visit the hospital, whether it's in an emergency or routine visit, no matter what it is, that they have to park away from the hospital and walk up or down the hill," he said.

"The government has a responsibility to provide services for the community and they have to be appropriate services.

"You don't have half-design a hospital."

He said if the hospital is redeveloped and a significant boost to car parking is not included, "the government, as far as CPSA is concerned, is abrogating their responsibility".

THE petition is at www.paultoolemp.com.au/bathurst-hospital-carpark.