Plans have been revealed for a new 500-space car park opposite the Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital

Council chiefs have announced an investment of £1.6million for the scheme, which they hope will support patients and visitors and alleviate traffic congestion.

Campaigners hailed the plan as 'brilliant news' and said it will hopefully cut the amount of time visitors and workers spend in queuing traffic around the Haslingden Road area.

The car park will be built on land in Old Bank Lane owned by Blackburn with Darwen Council.

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust estimates it is short of around 250 car parking spaces, which is expected to rise as the hospital delivers more services in the future.

According to a council report, visitors are being turned away on a daily basis, while workers at the nearby Fusion Park also struggle to find spaces.

The car park would be managed by the council with users charged the same tariffs as the hospital.

Visitors would be charged £1.90 for up to three hours and £3.50 for between eight and 24 hours, which along with income from permits, would generate nearly £500,000 income a year for the council.

Council bosses, who originally earmarked the land for housing, cited cars waiting to enter the hospital car park as a major cause of blockages on the road network, which often leaves traffic backing up to junction five of the M65.

Clinics have also been delayed due to hospital staff and consultants left stuck in traffic, said hospital bosses.

Cllr Jim Smith, cabinet member for environment, said: "It is a great scheme and will really help relieve the pressure on the car park, while helping the people of Blackburn with Darwen.

"Everybody knows that area is a nightmare at peak times.

"It is development land and when we looked at it we thought the best use was for parking.

"It is a substantial investment and we will be looking at getting the money back through people using the car park."

The single tarmacked site will be accessed via Old Bank Lane so cars can turn off at the mini roundabout before the hospital.

It will be open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with electronic signage informing people of the number of spaces available.

Russ McLean, chairman of the Pennine Lancashire Patient Voices Group, said he has spent an hour trying to get out of the car park on occasions.

He said: "There's always been a problem with spaces.

"It is testament to the director and chief executive of the trust and their dogged determination to do something about the situation.

"It is brilliant news for patients and as there will be an exit off Old Bank Lane it is a win-win situation.

"People going to and from work will also have a much pleasanter and quicker journey."

Martin Hodgson, director of service development and deputy chief executive at the trust, said hospital staff were delighted.

He said: “The new facility will ease congestion on Haslingden Road, which will mean easier access for ambulances and other emergency vehicles.

“Patients will also benefit as they will experience less delays in the traffic and will not have to worry about missing an appointment due to not being able to easily find a parking space.

“Finally, it will assist our services to run on time as consultants and staff who move between sites during the day will not be experiencing these same issues that could potentially make them late for clinics.”

Kate Hollern, MP for Blackburn with Darwen, said it was a 'fantastic idea'.

"If you know the hospital it is a nightmare. I have been in the situation myself of taking people to appointments and missing them because it is 20 to 30 minutes trying to get in," she said.

"This is great investment."