A MOTHER who was stuck waiting to leave a hospital car park with a crying baby for two hours is calling for urgent action to be taken. 

Jo Watson called the parking situation at Worcestershire Royal Hospital "disgusting" and "ridiculous". 

She is the latest to highlight the issues at the Charles Hastings Way-based hospital with bosses saying the trust is working with parking experts to resolve the situation. 

Miss Watson said her ordeal took place after visiting her nan who is currently at the hospital.

"I went at 3pm and needed to leave before getting back to my boys," Miss Watson said.

"I left 4.30pm and joined the queue. 

Kidderminster Shuttle: STUCK: Jo Watson was stuck for two hours trying to leave Worcestershire Royal HospitalSTUCK: Jo Watson was stuck for two hours trying to leave Worcestershire Royal Hospital (Image: Jo Watson)

"I had the blower on but my 12-month-old, Elsie, was crying.

"She was hungry, it was dark, so I went back in and waited in the hospital foyer for an hour in the warm.

"When I went back out there were people who I spoke to in the queue who hadn't moved.

"I finally left at half 6, and didn't get home until 7pm - with a baby is was extremely trying."

The 40-year-old said she spoke to a mum who was taking her baby home for the first time, and saw a couple of elderly people.

"I think it is terrible to do that to people," the mum-of-three from Bredon said. 

"The system is not very good. 

Kidderminster Shuttle: PARKING: The parking issues at Worcestershire Royal HospitalPARKING: The parking issues at Worcestershire Royal Hospital (Image: Newsquest)

"When I can't find a space I go round. I went round three times recently until I found one. 

"But if someone stops and waits it stops the flow. As soon as you get out on the main roads its fine.

"It needs to be sorted out."

In recent weeks we have reported on a growing number of people who want action taken over the car park. 

Darren Richardson, who has been a driving instructor for 22 years, said the parking at Worcestershire Royal Hospital 'is just awful.' 

Mr Richardson, 56, said: "I wouldn't be amazed if someone died in the car park because the driver can't find parking. 

"People will block the entire car park to wait for a free parking space. 

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"This car park is just not big enough, it is just awful."

Baz Adams, from Malvern, was stuck in the car park for more than an hour after bringing his wife to an appointment.

He said: "I literally reversed out of the space and stopped. 

"I've never seen anything like it in all of my 70 years."

Previously Matthew Hopkins, chief executive of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust said, told us: "We are aware that the current parking provision in place across our hospitals is not sufficient and recognise the difficulties and anxieties that this causes for our patients, staff and visitors, particularly at peak times.


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"We are enlisting the help of parking specialists who will work with us to ensure that we can further increase our car parking capacity across our sites and improve parking arrangements. 

"While this significant piece of work is underway we’ve taken a number of steps to reduce congestion and ease the parking pressures, including the increased use of telephone and video appointments."

We asked the trust for further comment and an update, but the trust sent us the same statement.