by Lynne Hutchinson

A £30,000 review of parking on roads around Frenchay Hospital has been included on a wish-list drawn up by councillors after they were told how ambulances were often held up on emergency calls.

But the scheme will be up against other transport priorities throughout South Gloucestershire when a decision is taken on how a limited amount of money available for such projects will be spent.

Parking problems outside the hospital have been reported in the Bristol Evening Post after people living nearby highlighted the potential dangers to patients of ambulance crews becoming stuck in traffic jams.

Drivers, including hospital staff, patients and visitors, were leaving their cars on Bristol Road instead of in the hospital's car parks, leading to the road being narrowed and only one line of traffic being able to get through.

There were incidents reported of ambulances with their blue lights on having to wait in queues, delaying them getting to the sick or injured and to the hospital's casualty unit.

Highways officers at South Gloucestershire Council acted after notices put up by hospital bosses asking motorists to park with consideration failed to make a difference.

White advisory 'keep clear' lines were painted on Bristol Road between the hospital entrance and Malmains Drive to the north, making a big improvement.

But there is still a problem on some days with drivers parking on the south side of the entrance, where there are no lines.

The council has been monitoring the situation and said it believed the problem had settled down lately. It was not currently planning to extend the lines but said they could be put down at short notice if matters deteriorated.

But it is looking at longer-term formal restrictions to try and find a permanent solution, not only for Bristol Road but also surrounding streets.

Members of the council's Southern Brooks Area Forum have supported such a review, which will go into the 2009-10 programme if agreed by the council.

Frenchay and Stoke Park councillor Trevor Jones told the forum that at the height of the problem there were days when 40 cars were parked and more than 100 vehicles, including ambulances, held up.

He said: "Highways officers should be thanked for putting lines down in record time. But on some days at visiting time the problem is at the south side of the entrance.

"It seems to be copycat parking. One person parks there and others follow but I would like drivers to imagine being in an ambulance and not being able to get to hospital."

He said too many advisory lines could lead to people abusing them but he welcomed a full parking study for the area.

Resident Janet Wooster, who was among those who had raised concerns about the parking, also supported a review.

Mrs Wooster said: "Those causing the problem now appear to be visitors rather than hospital staff."

It is thought that cars are being left on the road by drivers who are trying to avoid hospital parking charges or because they can't find a space in the grounds.