MELROSE and District Community Council has voiced its support for plans to create 44 more long stay car parking spaces at the region’s biggest hospital, But, with Borders General Hospital only expected to get busier, local authority leader David Parker warned that they will not solve all their parking problems.

He believes the number of new spaces could be doubled if the plans were rejigged.

NHS Borders has lodged a planning application with Scottish Borders Council to develop part of the grassed area in front of the hospital which is used as a helipad.

Councillor Parker said: “I don’t think it’s the best scheme they could have come up with. I think they could have rejigged the plans to get even more spaces in now, they could probably get double that if they changed the way they did it.” And he added: “I suspect they might have to revisit it again at some point in the future.” NHS Borders introduced new parking regulations at the BGH in November last year, imposing a four hour parking limit in two newly designated short stay car parks in an attempt to free up spaces for patients and visitors.

And it was announced that £90 fines would be issued to any vehicle parked too long or inappropriately between 8am and 5pm.

That forced many hospital workers to park in neighbouring Darnick which prompted complaints from local residents who claimed they had turned the village into a giant overspill car park.

However, despite promising to build a new long stay car park, encouraging more car sharing and introducing a new shuttle bus service, Melrose Provost William Windram claimed the parking problems hadn’t disappeared.

“It’s a shame that this green space has to be used,” he said. “But, at the same time, we have heard how the parking problems have affected the lives of the people of Darnick and in the last couple of weeks it hasn’t really changed.” Community councillor Graham Barker said: “I would hope if these plans went ahead it would stop all the problems with parking in Darnick.” Community councillor Robin Chisholm said: “It will certainly free up lots of parking in Darnick and Chiefswood Road.” The health board claim the plans for 44 new car parking spaces at the BGH will help ease the pressure on the hospital, which has one of the highest ratios of car parking spaces to patient bed numbers in Scotland, as well as neighbouring communities.

However, it warned rejigging the plans, as Councillor Parker suggested, would cause more disruption and be significantly more expensive.

A spokesperson for NHS Borders this week told the Border Telegraph: “Despite considerable improvement in the management of vehicles entering and parking within the Borders General Hospital campus, the introduction of car sharing arrangements for staff, plus the introduction of First Bus Shuttle services linking the Hospital with Galashiels and Tweedbank, it is recognised that the rurality of the region is such that many hospital users are reliant on their own vehicle to get to and from the hospital.

“When the revised parking arrangements were introduced during November 2013 the board recognised that additional car parking spaces may be required we have been developing plans over this year to supplement the parking facility by expanding two car parks and creating one additional car park, central to the hospital.

“This new facility on which planning consent is sought has been developed following consideration of a number of options and will provide 44 additional spaces.

“These can be created with minimal disruption to the day to day operations of this busy site. It is considered that the capital investment in car parking facilities, coupled with other initiatives as noted, will help alleviate pressures on the site for all users.

“The alteration to current plans as suggested by the Council would have significant impact on the operation of the hospital during the construction phase, and would be significantly more expensive. The current plan will retain the circulation routes throughout the site which incorporate traffic calming measures, which would be lost in the Council proposal.

“The retention of such measures, on the grounds of health and safety, is essential within such a busy hospital which has considerable vehicular and pedestrian activity at all times.”