Parking’s looking healthier

Trust has teamed up with Oldham Athletic to solve the chronic parking problems at The Royal Oldham Hospital.

HEALTH bosses have struck a £108,000 deal with Oldham Athletic in a bid to ease chronic parking problems at the neighbouring Royal Oldham Hospital.

But the move, which will create 500 new parking spaces, comes with a sting in its tail — anyone who parks outside designated parking areas on the hospital site will be fined.

Fixed penalty notices will be issued to motorists flouting hospital parking rules from May 1.

A first offence will cost the driver £5, a second will incur a £10 fine, and if motorists still ignore the rules, future fines will be £65. The move is a first for the Royal Oldham Hospital, but Fred Royales, site services manager, said it was following suit with other hospitals where fines were generally higher.

The 500 extra spaces will be behind the Rochdale Road Stand at Boundary Park, off Sheepfoot Lane.

The car park, primarily for staff, will operate from 7am until 7pm, when it will be covered by a security guard, CCTV cameras and lighting.

Mr Royales said: “It was getting more and more difficult to find a space.

“If we can get all our staff on Latics, then there should be enough room for patients and visitors to park at the hospital.”

The annual contract is costing Pennine Acute Trust £108,000, but hospital bosses said they had to take action as the new pathology laboratory and the radiotherapy unit under construction swallowed up more than 200 car parking spaces.

The hospital now has just short of 1,000 parking spaces and more than 3,000 members of staff.