Drivers have been travelling the wrong way down the road due to congestion near York Hospital, a councillor has claimed.
Labour Guildhall ward’s Cllr Dave Merrett said the incidents were among the dangerous driving happening due to congestion backing up onto Wigginton Road from the hospital’s car park.
The councillor added the queues could sometimes reach as far as Gillygate’s junction with Lord Mayor’s Walk and called for an urgent solution to the issue.
Cllr Claire Douglas, the council’s Labour leader, said the authority’s transport spokesperson Cllr Kate Ravilious was set to hold talks on the congestion in due course.
It comes after the NHS trust which runs York Hospital said the issue was now under review.
A spokesperson for the York and Scarborough Teaching Hospital Trust told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) they recognised parking could be frustrating for patients, visitors and staff.
Guildhall’s Cllr Merrett, Cllr Rachel Melly and Cllr Tony Clarke presented a petition to the trust calling for solutions to the problem on Wednesday, 27 May.
The Change.org petition has been signed by at least 1,850 people.
The trust’s board of directors meeting heard potential solutions could include providing patients with information about potential queues and other car parks.
Other suggestions included looking at visiting times to avoid a rush in the afternoon and sending more patients to Scarborough and Bridlington in the long term.
Board Chair Martin Barkley told the meeting the trust was looking at the options and some suggestions could be implemented within weeks.
Delays and disruption
Cllr Merrett said he and his fellow ward councillors had heard about the impact traffic was having on residents since they were first elected.
Speaking at City of York Council’s Executive meeting on Tuesday, June 2, the councillor said: “The congestion results in delayed and disrupted journeys, including to the hospital, along with unreliable bus journeys and pollution.
“It’s also dangerous, we have had instances of drivers driving up the wrong way on the other side of the road to get passed the queues.
“From the comments we’ve received it’s clear many of these problems affect hospital users.
“A large range of solutions have been suggested, it’s clear that what’s needed is a strategic travel plan for all trips to the hospital which manages the traffic and prioritises limited parking for those who most need to travel door to door.”
Council city development lead Garry Taylor previously told The Press they were working with the trust to tackle the issue but there were no immediate solutions.
The official said: “Working with the hospital we are trialling initiatives with NHS staff to promote alternatives to driving.
“There are no quick fix solutions to the problems in this area of the city and we are going to be undertaking a whole corridor study working with the hospital and local communities.
“This sits alongside our broader plans for transport which prioritises tackling congestion across York by giving people more options to move around the city and making it easier for everyone to get around.”
