Residents miss births and deaths due to 'greedy' hospital parking

Started by councillor David Henwood, the petition is calling for a review of parking and the potential for a multi-storey at the John Radcliffe by the health trust that runs it, the city and county councils.

Vivienne Frost said: "Some years ago, my dad got blue-lighted to the JR took me 45 minutes to queue for a space. I didn't even know if he was still alive or not luckily he survived but it was very stressful."

Joy Hilary Barton said: "Greed versus vulnerability. People at their most vulnerable who need to get to hospitals face such hardship in doing so.

"Myself and elderly mother get taxis or lifts to appointments as it takes out stress - however if you are called there in an emergency you need the quickest option which is own transport and to be met with such difficulties is heart-breaking."

Louise Perrier said: "I agree something has to be done about parking at the John Radcliffe. I had a cardiology appointment this week and, despite being partially disabled, I went park and ride from Oxford Parkway ( live in Eynsham).

"The appointment was only 40 minutes, but the whole thing took 4 hours. I was beyond exhausted when I finally got home."

In 2022, Oxford City Council debated a motion, brought by Mick Haines, who was councillor for Marston ward at the time, calling for work with Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust on a long-term solution, including consideration of a decked car park.

READ MORE: Royal Bentley expected to fetch £400k goes unsold at auction

John Radcliffe Hospital (Image: Steve Parsons/PA)

The campaign was backed by a petition with almost 5,000 online signatures and a further 1,300 on paper.

No multi-storey car park has since been approved or built at the Headington hospital.

Julia Ferguson condemned the council, calling on people to take the park and ride, saying: "Park and ride is absolutely not an option when you are bringing someone very poorly to the hospital for treatment."

Hannah Cooper said: "I missed my Granny dying because I couldn't get parked."

Victoria Napper said: "My son-in-law missed the birth of his daughter due to the diabolical parking. Thank goodness I videoed the birth."

Deputy chief estates and facilities officer at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH), Paul Shead, said: “We’re aware of how stressful finding a car parking space at our hospitals can be, and we’re really sorry for any additional distress and inconvenience this can cause at what is often an already challenging time. 

“As a trust, we’ve put several measures in place to alleviate pressure on our parking spaces, including changing clinic timetables, redesigning bus routes to support our hospitals, moving services off-site, and offering virtual and telephone appointments whenever appropriate.

“We want our parking facilities to be available for people who really need them, and recognise that many of our patients will need to drive."