Worthing and Southlands hospitals to run staff minibus service from Brooklands car park

A new '˜green travel' plan for staff working at Worthing and Southlands Hospitals will see a minibus service run to and from a council car park.
Staff at Worthing Hospital during recent NHS70 celebrations.Staff at Worthing Hospital during recent NHS70 celebrations.
Staff at Worthing Hospital during recent NHS70 celebrations.

Hospital employees will be able to park at Brooklands, in East Worthing, between Mondays and Fridays from September 24 as part of a series of initiatives to reduce congestion on surrounding roads.

Staff will also be offered 15 per cent off rail travel and discounted bus fares, while improved facilities for walkers, cyclists and bikers will also be provided.

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Marianne Griffiths, chief executive of Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which also runs St Richard’s, in Chichester, said: “With the continued growth and demand on our services, it has become increasingly difficult to accommodate the needs of staff accessing and leaving our hospital sites.

Staff celebrated 70 years of the NHS recently, gathering outside Southlands HospitalStaff celebrated 70 years of the NHS recently, gathering outside Southlands Hospital
Staff celebrated 70 years of the NHS recently, gathering outside Southlands Hospital

“However, these improved facilities and services will remove hundreds of vehicle journeys every day into the centres of Chichester and Worthing and make it much easier for colleagues to choose alternative means of transport.”

The staff minibus service will run between 6.30am to 11pm weekdays, and the trust said it would help reduce single occupancy car journeys along the A27 as staff travel between hospitals for clinics, meetings and other duties.

The extra cost of providing the service is being part-funded by an increase in the cost of on-site staff parking permits. Worthing Borough Council owns the Brighton Road car park on the west side of Brooklands, where staff would park. A council spokesman said the hospital had approached the council about bulk-buying a number of season tickets.

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“This will not only provide extra income to the council but also reduce congestion, air pollution and on-street parking around the hospital site,” they said.

“The agreement will be regularly reviewed and have no affect on any ongoing concessions at Brooklands, nor the council’s wider plans to improve Brooklands Park.”

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