Parking controls – Queen Elizabeth II Hospital Area, Welwyn Garden City

Residents near to the Queen Elizabeth II Hospital in Welwyn Garden City will be consulted about proposed changes to parking regulations to combat congestion resulting from hospital traffic.

Some of the roads affected do not have off-street parking nor have the potential to provide it, in this case the residents rely on street parking and have to compete with hospital traffic for available spaces. With this in mind, Welwyn Hatfield Council will be consulting residents to find a suitable solution for all parties.

Any solution must ease congestion, provide traffic calming, reduce vehicle speeds, provide time-limited on-street parking for hospital visitors, prevent parking at junctions and give resident preference for parking in their own roads.

The Planning and Transportation Panel met on Thursday 21 August 2008 to discuss the next stage of this programme and the residents in nearby streets will have a key voice in the decision making process as parking around hospitals is normally a cause for concern due to the high volume of traffic in and out of the site.

Executive Member for Transportation Cllr John Mansfield said: “The area is well-known for parking congestion due to its close proximity to the Queen Elizabeth II hospital and work has already begun. It was agreed by the Planning and Transportation Panel back in March 2008 that the parking control in the area needed a solution, since then double yellow lines have been placed in Ascots Lane to ease congestion as a response to the problems in the street. Hospital car parks are often full, visitors and staff then have to park on the street. “

The council is expecting to consult with residents later this year.