Andy shares this latest news on behalf of Isle of Wight NHS Trust. Ed
St. Mary’s Hospital site is increasingly being used as a ‘rat-run’ by those who wish to avoid congestion on the roundabout or shorten their journey. The increased vehicular movement on site causes issues and there have been several near misses.
Fortunately accidents causing injury have been avoided, but the Trust has a ‘duty of care’ to everyone using the St. Mary’s Hospital site – patients, visitors, volunteers and staff.
Barrier installed next month
Working in partnership with APCOA, the Trust has taken the decision to install a barrier to prevent the site being used as a ‘rat-run’ and this will be in place by 23rd October.
From this date only authorised vehicles will be able to pass through the barrier which will be controlled by the automatic number plate recognition system; all other vehicles will not be able to pass through the barrier.
Automatic Number Plate Recognition
Working with the Trust’s new parking and security contractor, APCOA Parking UK Ltd, Isle of Wight NHS Trust will be implementing an Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system and new parking payment machines on the St. Mary’s Hospital site during the autumn.
Replacing current equipment
The new systems will replace the current unreliable equipment and introduce ANPR technology at the main patient and visitor car parks at the front of the hospital and at the North Entrance adjacent to Maternity / Coronary Care Unit (CCU).
It will enable users to ‘pay on exit’ at payment machines. All other patient and visitor car parks will remain as ‘pay and display’. Staff parking will also be simplified with the introduction of a virtual permit system that will be more user friendly and easier to control and administer.
Helps provide a better service
Frank Sims, Deputy Chief Executive at Isle of Wight NHS Trust said:
“This new system will enable us to provide a better service for patients and visitors. No longer will patients have to worry about whether their parking ticket is going to run out.
“The system will also benefit staff with a simplified administrative system and no requirement to display a permit in the windscreen of staff cars. The system will also provide the Trust with the ability to improve road traffic management on the St. Mary’s Hospital site.”
