The frustration of driving around in circles looking for a parking space at Tauranga Hospital may be coming to an end.
With 191,000 appointments at the hospital each year - an average of 523 a day - parking has become difficult.
This map shows the public car parking spaces available at Tauranga Hospital.
But according to Bay of Plenty District Health Board General Manager Property Services Jeff Hodson, the issue has been addressed.
'It's important to us that our patients, family members and other visitors have preferential treatment for parking,” says Jeff.
'With this in mind, we have leased land for an additional 200 off-campus parking spaces for staff.
'This means extra spaces are now available for the exclusive use of patients and visitors in our Clarke Street car park.
'Clarke Street is closed to staff during normal working hours. It is solely for the use of patients and visitors.”
The additional spaces now freed up will relieve some of the issues raised by visitors, says Jeff.
More parking spaces for people requiring mobility parking spaces have also been marked out in both the Cameron Road and Clarke Street car parks.
Jeff says it recently came to his attention that many patients and visitors were unaware of the parking available in the hospital's Clarke Street car park and he urged them to utilise it.
The Clarke Street car park can be accessed from either 17th or 20th Avenues.
There is a lift available at the hospital-end of the car park which delivers people up to the main entrance/reception area.
11 comments
parking
Posted on 14-05-2015 14:19 | By whatsinaname
a parking building would be fantastic. especially for those of us that cant walk far.
Hospital Parking
Posted on 14-05-2015 14:25 | By mlangdon
Clark Street is all very well if you are fit and healthy, what about people on crutches etc coming to clinics, physio and so on. Walking 'uphill' to the lift in that car park is impossible. Perhaps the hospital needs a system where clinic patients have some form of id so they can use reserved parking in the park opposite the main entrance. Tauranga Hospital urgently needs a multi storied car park building like Hamilton adjacent to the main entrance.
maggieanne
Posted on 14-05-2015 15:12 | By maggieanne
Fantastic, maybe this means that we will no longer have cars parked on the 18th ave. end of Devonport Road, this is becoming an accident waiting to happen as its making getting out of our driveways very difficult especially with the larger vehicles with tinted windows as you cannot see clearly and oncoming traffic.
Confused about priorities ...
Posted on 14-05-2015 16:17 | By Murray.Guy
Leef Out of Waikato's Bok.
Posted on 14-05-2015 16:47 | By tabatha
Tauranga needs to do what the Waikato Hospital has done, two at least car park buildings, yes you pay but that makes it fair on everyone. Easy to get into and covered ways for wet days. What have we got open air rush to get into main area in wet weather. Time for a positive re think. Clarke Street idea was great but what a joke.
What a joke
Posted on 14-05-2015 23:11 | By blondebabeNZ
Since when can anyone get a park at Clarke st, what a joke, I have never been able to get a park there, why because staff all park down there. There is limited parking up the top too and if you are lucky enough to get one after driving around in circles then yay.I would like to see Jeff find a park on Clarke street during the day.
Rastus
Posted on 15-05-2015 10:09 | By rastus
Excuse me but I have been looking for a park when Clarke street area has been 'full' as well as the ground level parking areas and without wanting to critize the hospital staff, I believe that a huge number of supposed public -parking area is taken by hospital staff - a 'pay' to park building makes a lot of sense to me!
Car Parks
Posted on 15-05-2015 10:49 | By Lois
How many of us elderly, crippled etc can walk the distance required from Clarke Street car parks ???
STOP PARKING IN AVENUES
Posted on 15-05-2015 14:03 | By wannabeme
Absolute nightmare trying to get in and out of our own properties when we have hospital staff using our narrow streets as a carpark. Build an appropriate alternative. I would think as it would pay for itself in a year or two why wouldnt the DHB do this. No brainer really!
parking issues
Posted on 18-05-2015 13:21 | By rosscoo
Why not take the bus stops right outside hospital entrance and all flat level short walking distance. no need for extra expense on parking buildings or getting frustrated driving round looking for parks. Bus has easy wheelchair and mobility scooter access and driver will lower front entrance for elderly or crippled to get on and off easily. So using bus more affordable and less hassle.
re parking issues
Posted on 18-05-2015 23:06 | By vonnie
Rosscoo has probably never had to go to the out patients on crutches or with a walker or he would understand how tired these people get. the only wise decision is to have a multi storied building for patients only and let the staff park in the parks that are there now
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