TRAFFIC nightmares around Furness General Hospital look set to come to an end as health chiefs reveal plans to create an extra staff car park.

Hawcoat residents have been complaining for a number of years about the parking and traffic situation in the area, with hospital users often forced to park on pavements and with some even blocking driveways.

Bosses at the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust has apologised for the situation - and now confirmed it will be applying for planning permission for various options to address the issues.

Foluke Ajayi, chief operations officer of UHMBT, told The Mail that options under consideration for FGH’s Dalton Lane site include putting in barriers on the top car park - facing the main entrance - and building another level above that car park to increase the number of available spaces.

Hazel Edwards, who lives in Glenridding Drive, Barrow, said: “Parking issues have been going on for years and it’s getting worse. People aren’t parking sensibly and it’s dangerous for residents.

“People going to the hospital park their cars across residents’ driveways; and some cars are left there for up to two days. We have had to contact the hospital on numerous occasions - and even the police when people can’t get out of their drives.

“There are other knock-on effects; for instance, on bin collection days there are traffic jams around the area because the lorries can’t get past some of the cars.”

County Cllr Roy Worthington, Conservative member for Hawcoat, has been campaigning for a solution to the FGH parking issue since becoming a councillor, and welcomed the plan.

He said: “I have visited Furness General Hospital on various occasions to speak to their assistant estates director about the ongoing parking problem - and have remained in contact to find a solution.

“This announcement from UHMBT is very welcome news for the residents of Hawcoat who have endured the problems the lack of enough parking spaces causes.”

Mrs Ajayi assured residents the trust was doing everything it ould to make thhes ituation better.

She said: “We understand that parking is limited on our sites, which we apologise for, and we want to reassure our staff and patients that we do have plans in place to try and make the situation better.

“We are also looking at an option which would mean turning the field below the creche into another staff car park.

“We are expecting to apply for planning permission after the Christmas 2018 period.”