Hospital bosses are calling on people to try to use public transport when visiting Airedale Hospital at Steeton.

Work on providing an extra 150 car parking bays at the hospital is due to be completed by the New Year, which will bring the number of spaces up to about 1,000.

But Airedale NHS Trust bosses, who run the hospital, want to make it the last extension to the parking area which has grown by about a third in the last four years.

Finance chief Janet Crouch says the scheme is being funded by money raised through car parking charges at the hospital and is an extension to its West car park. We would like to make this the last extension to the car parking facilities at the hospital," she says. "The more provision you make the more it fills up.

"Anything we can do to encourage people to use public transport and other forms of transport we would welcome. We are open to ideas."

The friends of Airedale group already provides a special bus service from Steeton railway station to the hospital. The trust is also supporting the introduction of a pedestrian access link from the station.

On completion of the work a review of the designation of the car parking area will be undertaken as part of an estate control plan. "The aim is to give priority to patient-parking nearest the location to which they are attending," she says.

Hospital chiefs are considering a scheme to improve facilities for drop-off and pick-up points and the provision of short-stay parking. They are also considering a scheme to reserve parking for people attending meetings and events.

Violence to be tackled, page 12

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