Health Board looking at options to improve parking at Maelor

A lack of available car parking spaces leads to over-flowing car parks, with cars frequently parked on double yellow lines, grass verges and pavements.

Struggles with parking, which have persisted at the hospital for many years, can lead to staff, patients, and visitors late for work or appointments. 

Plas Gororau, a new site located near the hospital, was identified as a solution to the issue with it's separate car park of 200 spaces. 

However, since opening in April, patients and staff are still facing problems when trying to park at the hospital. 

While Plas Gororau has been seen as an improvement, Wrexham's MP Sarah Atherton says that more needs to be done to address the "unacceptable" parking situation. 

Parking at the Maelor Hospital earlier this year (Image: NQ)

Ms Atherton added: “The Health Board had stated that the 200 extra spaces at Plas Gororau would relieve the parking debacle at the Maelor. However, constituents appear to be unaware of the facility due to the lack of signage, large barriers deterring people and the difficulty of walking up the hill to the main hospital site. It was clear from the outset that this would never suffice as a solution.

"It is unacceptable for the Health Board to expect vulnerable patients, distressed relatives, and individuals seeking treatment to navigate the chaotic parking situation.

"Disappointingly, according to the Health Board's own admission, there is a shortfall of 600 parking spaces, leaving one to speculate on the extent of disruption caused by missed appointments alone. I will continue to push the Health Board to implement genuine solutions to the parking shortage at the Maelor." 

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The North Wales Health Board admitted that more spaces were needed at the Maelor in Wrexham and revealed they were looking at further options to improve the situation. 

Michelle Greene, Director of East Integrated Health Community for Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, said: "We fully appreciate how challenging car parking can be for patients, visitors and staff and we do not underestimate the stress and anxiety it can cause. We urge patients and visitors to travel by public transport and walk to the hospital, but we understand that this is not possible in all cases and can be challenging.

"We recently opened Plas Gororau, a short walk from the main acute hospital site, which has its own dedicated car park for staff and patients. This will play an important role in alleviating some of the parking pressures at the hospital, however we are aware we need more car parking spaces as our services and population increases.

"We are working with our operational estates on some options to improve the situation at Wrexham."