New Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital car park opens

Built on Old Bank Lane next to the hospital, council and NHS bosses hope the car park will reduce traffic in the area, especially on Haslingden Road and in Guide.

Traffic caused by cars waiting to enter the existing hospital car park is a cause of major issues, with drivers often queuing towards junction 5 of the M65.

The car park project, which could raise as much as £500,000 per year for Blackburn with Darwen Council, was a joint partnership between the council and East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust (ELHT).

The 500-space car park will be run by the East Lancashire Hospitals Trust on behalf of the council, and the tariffs will be the same across all hospital car parks.

ELHT had estimated it was short of around 250 car parking spaces at the site, a figure which is expected to rise as the hospital delivers more services.

Visitors will be charged £1.90 for up to three hours and £3.50 for between eight and 24 hours. Income will be raised through the charges along with cash from permits.

Harry Catherall, chief executive of Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: “Extra parking spaces have been a priority for some time for people using Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital, so I am thrilled that this car park is opening and will hopefully ease the parking pressures in the area for patients, visitors and staff.

“This has been a real partnership effort between the Council and the hospital trust and it’s great to now see the car park opening.”

Kevin McGee, chief executive of ELHT, said: “Working in partnership with Blackburn with Darwen Council, we are delighted to open a new car park that will significantly improve the experience for everyone coming to the Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital.

“Patients and visitors arriving by car will benefit from a greater number of parking spaces, while local residents and anyone travelling past the hospital will welcome the reduced congestion along Haslingden Road.”