Victory for hospital staff: 95 dedicated parking spots and large shuttle bus service secured
Hospital staff will have access to a new designated parking area and larger shuttle bus in less than two weeks. How it will work.
Cairns
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Hospital staff will have access to a new designated parking area and larger shuttle bus in less than two weeks.
From July 1, Cairns Hospital staff will have access to 95 reserved parking spots in the Bunda Street Car Park, located at the corner of Spence and Bunda streets.
Each spot will require a valid permit. Once staff have parked, they can get on a shuttle bus and be dropped at the hospital.
It comes after Cairns Post launched Operation Safe Zone in May, advocating for additional parking and a park-and-ride service to improve safety for hospital staff.
A Cairns Regional Council spokesman said council had been working with Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service to find a solution to the parking concerns.
“The result is 95 dedicated parking bays for Cairns Hospital staff within the Bunda Street carpark, with CHHHS to be issued permits for distribution to staff,” he said.
“These reserved bays are clearly marked in yellow for hospital staff only and council will undertake usual enforcement practices as required.
“All other bays in the carpark will remain accessible to the public, who can still pay for parking using the Pay by Plate and EasyPark options.”
CHHHS chief executive Leena Singh said staff would be able to register and collect parking permits from the hospital at a later date.
“This is a temporary solution to alleviate car parking challenges within the Cairns Hospital precinct,” she said.
“We will be monitoring and reviewing the service, including feedback from staff using it, in order to maximise its usage and ensure it meets the needs of our staff.”
Ms Singh said this had been planned over many months with Cairns Regional Council.
“The service will be available to staff from Mondays to Fridays, and our staff will be updated about the new carparking arrangements via our internal communication channels,” she said.
Leigh Harris, whose daughter works in the emergency department at the hospital, cautiously welcomed the initiative.
“It’s a great thing, and I suppose the problem is they can only work within the space they’ve got allocated,” he said.
“The more Queensland Health can put on in terms of security and improve the ability of what security can do, plus have a police beat allocated close to the hospital, the better.”
The hospital is also planning a new lot within six to eight months on one of three potential sites, and a multi-storey car park as part of the facility’s master plan.
The Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation, which manages the hospital’s onsite car park, is turning one floor into a ‘valet’ parking service to create additional spaces.
Mr Harris said the valet parking option should be prioritised for staff and views the current solution as a “wait and see” venture.
“I would still like to see the council adding in additional allocations for permits for staff around the hospital for those working in ED and at night who need to be closer to the hospital,” he said.
Ms Singh said management had a long-term vision, supported by advocacy to Cairns Regional Council and various state government agencies, to “activate” the northern Esplanade area as the hospital grows, and to improve public transport.
This included conversations about trimming trees, increasing lighting and expanding monitored CCTV.
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Originally published as Victory for hospital staff: 95 dedicated parking spots and large shuttle bus service secured