FREE PARKING: Mayor moves to ease hospital parking debacle

FREE parking will be rolled out around Lismore Base Hospital from Monday in a sweeping attempt by the council to alleviate parking pressures.

Lismore Base Hospital parking will be free on some streets from Monday, June 26. Picture: Marc Stapelberg

FREE parking will be rolled out around Lismore Base Hospital from Monday in a sweeping attempt by the council to alleviate a drawn-out parking battle between staff and residents.

Lismore Mayor Isaac Smith announced to the local branch of the NSW Nurses and Midwives unrestricted parking will be introduced on Hunter St between Uralba and Orion St as well as Uralba St between Diadem and Hunter St until the $2 all day parking is debated at the July council meeting.

Cr Smith said expanding all day parking availability on Hunter St and increasing the two hour parking limit to four hours on Uralba St are key changed expected to be implemented following a council review of the parking situation.

He is confident the changes to the "controversial" scheme would be passed at the upcoming meeting.

"I think all councillors are on board with those changes," Cr Smith said.

The changes were the result of an external parking review where a consultant was hired to gauge the issue with hospital staff, residents and medical specialists practice owners.

Branch manager Gil Wilson said the action highlighted "an acknowledgement its been a long, laborious process".

"It's a good step, it's going to alleviate (pressure) particularly for residents," Mr Wilson said.

He sympathised with residents and called their plight 'nightmarish' with dozens of staff cars cramming into suburban streets daily.

Orion St resident, Andrew Reynolds said those parking on his street shown more respect to residents since airing his concerns about the parking debacle.

He said no cars have encroached on his driveway since the story went out.

"It's a big relief, it feels a lot safer pulling out of our driveways," Mr Reynolds said.

Mr Wilson said he would take the temporary changes "on face value" but he said the union will be eagerly awaiting the council to move changes to the hospital's parking scheme at next month's meeting.

He also expressed the frustrations of staff, who he said have been fined for parking in unmarked areas without curbing and guttering.

Cr Smith and Mr Wilson called on the the Northern NSW Local Health District to broaden access for staff to use the 100-space car park near the mental health facility.