Drive to sort out traffic 'chaos' around St John's

Published on Monday 20 April 2009 10:04

CALLS have been made to sort out the "chaotic" traffic situation at St John's Hospital in Livingston.

Traffic around the site has been affected by the decision to scrap parking charges at the hospital.

These have been added to by work which is now being undertaken by NHS Lothian to resurface the road outside the entrance.

This has led to buses being diverted, causing long queues of traffic around the hospital site and out on to local roads.

Councillor Graeme Morrice, leader of the Labour group at West Lothian Council, has put a motion to the local authority asking that it "expresses its grave concerns at the chaotic traffic management of St John's Hospital, and calls on NHS Lothian to take immediate steps" to resolve the issue.

Council leader Peter Johnston accepted there had been some difficulties. He said: "There have been traffic issues there but the roads around the site are in a very bad way and so work has to be done to sort that out."

John Jack, director of facilities at NHS Lothian, said: "We're trying to protect the right of patients to park close to St John's Hospital while remaining within the Scottish Government's new guidelines.

"That's why we protect access to parking for patients and visitors and why we ask staff without permits not to block visitor spaces."