People attending appointments or visiting patients at Carlisle’s Cumberland Infirmary are asked to plan ahead due to a temporary reduction in parking spaces and a change in visiting times
A number of exciting construction projects are taking place on site, which will be of huge benefit to both patients and staff.
However, this unfortunately means that in the short term there will be increased pressure on car parking spaces.
- The planned construction of the urgent treatment centre requires closure of the A&E visitor car park and the temporary staff car park near to the helipad – resulting in a temporary reduction of 115 staff and visitor spaces:
- The top half of the temporary staff car park near the helipad is closed (losing 15-20 spaces) now, with the rest closing from February 3(38 spaces in total).
- February 3: In order to create a temporary drop off opposite the A&E entrance, the very front row of the A&E car park will be taken out of use (22 spaces). This will allow the existing foot path to be replaced with drop kerbs and a drop off zone created.
- February 10: the rest of the A&E car park will be closed (77 spaces in total).
To reduce the impact on visitors, the capacity of the main visitor car park will be increased by 40 spaces around February 10 by reducing staff parking.
Visiting times change
From February 10, visiting times will change temporarily to manage demand for spaces:
- Surgical wards will be 1.30pm-2.30pm (Aspen, Beech C, Hazel, Maple A/B/C/D)
- Medical wards will be 3pm-4pm (Larch C, Beech A/B, Elm A/B/C, HASU, Willow A/B/C)
- There will be no changes to maternity services, paediatric services, end of life care. Other visiting will be at the usual discretion of the nurse in charge.
- Once the endoscopy construction works are complete, the visitor car park will permanently increase by a further 20-30 spaces. These extra visitor spaces are anticipated to come into use in March 2025.
This month, a planning application was approved to create a new 180-space staff car park at the hospital.
Work has begun to progress the build as quickly as possible, aiming for completion by June.
The North Cumbria Integrated Care Foundation Trust said: “Ultimately there will be an increased amount of spaces in the visitor car park, which we hope will address current over demand – particularly in the afternoons with the overlap of clinics and visiting to the wards.
“We are continuing to also ask staff to find alternatives to parking on site wherever possible. One of the key options available to staff is the provision of free offsite parking permits a short walk away.”
Chief nurse Jill Foster said: “We’re aware that parking at the site can be frustrating due to the limited number of spaces available, and that this is particularly stressful when you or a loved one are having health difficulties.
“In the long term we will have an increased number of visitor and staff parking spaces, and we are excited about the construction of our new urgent treatment centre and the endoscopy unit, and the benefits these will bring.
“However, in the short term it does mean we will temporarily have less parking spaces.
“This is why we are urging people to plan ahead and, if appropriate, find an alternative to parking at the infirmary.
“For example, getting a lift to and from hospital, using public transport, or parking off site and walking to CIC. These options will not be suitable for everyone, and if you do need to park on site then please allow time to find a parking space – particularly at busy visiting times.”
