SAM ROWLANDS, Member of the Welsh Parliament for Fflint Wrecsam, is urging constituents to sign a petition calling for action to resolve parking issues at Wrexham Maelor Hospital.
The petition has been launched by a member of the public after their personal experience of trying to park at the hospital.
Mr Rowlands, who is backing a campaign by the local newspaper, The Leader, who are calling for improvements to be made to ease the situation at the hospital and who launched his own petition last November, said it was taking far too long to resolve the daily nightmare of parking problems at Wrexham Maelor Hospital.
He said: “I am extremely frustrated when I receive letters from my constituents telling me about their experiences of trying to park at the hospital.
“It is so wrong that some people find themselves having to use alternative car parks, sometimes up to 15-20 minutes walk away from the hospital, because they cannot find a parking space when attending an appointment.
“The petition has been started on the Welsh Parliament’s website by local resident Viv Parry. I am fully behind her bid to get the Welsh Government to intervene.
“I have actually spent some time in the car park and seen at firsthand how dangerous and frustrating it is to park there. It really isn’t good enough and it is about time the issue was dealt with as a matter of urgency.
“I am now urging my constituents to sign the petition and make sure the Welsh Government gets involved and helps to solve the increasing parking problems.”
Viv Parry’s petition asks for people to sign to assist in major changes to the parking issues at Wrexham Maelor Hospital NE Wales.
She said: “I would like this longstanding issue to be discussed by the Welsh Government and to make changes to prioritise the use of the carpark at the Maelor Hospital for patients, staff and visitors.
“It is a huge area, but is totally full before 9.00am. Patients are missing appointments. There needs to be barriers, a way for patients and visitors to perhaps use a QR scan on their appointment letters and a reasonable fee to prevent non-related hospital users free access.
“I have had personal experience of trying to park my car for appointments and have had to go into the town centre and pay to park in an empty council car park and then walk 15 or 20 minutes back up to the hospital.
“I have arthritis and a heart condition and I think it is very selfish and disrespectful to expect everyone including pensioners and young families and to have to do this. It causes a lot of pain and stress.
“Please help to improve this situation. It has been going on for years. Something must be done.”
To sign the petition, click here.
