NHS Lothian is to re-introduce a staff car parking permit scheme on the Little France campus as part of a plan to help ease traffic congestion.
The scheme, which was suspended during the first lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic, will be reinstated next year as a free permit for staff at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh (RIE) amid safety concerns around growing levels of congestion and queueing traffic on the site.
Jim Crombie, Deputy Chief Executive of NHS Lothian, said the site was unable to sustain the sheer volume of cars that arrive each day and the problem was causing delays for patients, staff and visitors, as well as blue light services which need access at all times.
He added: “The decision to re-introduce free staff car parking permits has been carefully considered and planned over recent months and is not a decision that was taken lightly.
“We have been experiencing significant congestion across the Little France campus which cannot be sustained. It causes delays to patients, visitors and staff and for the buses which are essential to service the hospital.
“Critically, however, it also causes serious issues for our blue light services which must be able to travel through the hospital site at all times.
“We are actively looking for additional long-term solutions for staff, including the implementation of a dedicated park and ride at Shawfair. In the meantime, a temporary new car park to provide more than 300 extra spaces on campus will also open in January.
“We will continue to engage with our staff throughout this process.”
The application process has been updated and staff who are interested in a permit are being asked to apply for the permit scheme, which will go live on January 17.
Forms will then be cross checked against the eligibility criteria, which is consistent across all NHS Lothian sites and includes questions about how far they have to travel, how long it takes, public transport links, the times of their journey and whether the role they perform requires them to move between sites during the course of a shift. Separate arrangements will be in place for those who have to attend in an emergency.
Staff who are already in possession of a staff parking permit will be able to use their current permit for one year, after which, it will be subject to an annual eligibility review.
Tracy Anne Miller, RIE Partnership Lead, NHS Lothian, said: “These next steps are essential. The site cannot cope with the levels of congestion we are experiencing. We will continue to engage with staff directly and help ensure they have equitable access to the scheme.”
NHS Lothian is actively investigating additional long-term solutions, and discussions are ongoing around the implementation of a dedicated park and ride at Shawfair.
In the meantime, a temporary car park, which will provide an additional 250 spaces will be available in January.
Staff are also being urged to consider car-share schemes. Where possible, car-sharing will be facilitated within departments, however plans are being developed to try and help match people from different departments, if required. More details will be released in due course. All car sharing schemes will be operated in line with Scottish Government guidance.