Former Dubbo deputy mayor Ben Shields has called on Dubbo Regional Council and Health Infrastructure to work together to create more hospital car parking.
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Mr Shields said if he was elected to council, he would propose the existing entrance road to the hospital off the Cobbora Road-Myall Street roundabout be closed and a new entrance road placed closer to town, cutting through Teresa Maliphant Park. located between Cobbora Road and Myall Street.
He said the section of the park east of the new entrance could then be given to health infrastructure to use for extra parking.
“I'd like to see council and Health Infrastructure (the agency that controls and builds public hospitals) sit down together and work out an appropriate design that significantly increases the amount of car spaces available,” Mr Shields said.
“The roundabout near the hospital is a bad design and already prone to congestion. It could be converted into a T-intersection or traffic lights and the entrance to the hospital closed and moved a third of the way down the park.
“The area in front of Playmates and a section of the park could then be levelled and turned into additional parking.
Asked if the Teresa Maliphant Park was owned by council or part of Crown land, Mr Shields said even if it was Crown land, the state government would be able to give it to another government department.
“It’s an under-utilised park. Usually the community is against giving away council land, and I am too, but I think they would be willing to make an exception in this case for such a good cause,” he said.
“You could build the best hospital in the world but if people can’t access it, you might as well build it on the moon.”
Mr Shields said he also wanted to see more security parking for hospital staff to ensure their safety.
“In this day and age it is not right for hospital workers who are coming and going at all hours to be forced to wander through dark, unsecure car parks,” he said.
“A dedicated ‘swipe in and out’ car park for hospital staff is not an unreasonable request.
"If Dubbo Regional Council can work in conjunction with the Health Department for a better outcome then so be it.”
"Some will say that this isn't a local government issue. I say that if council can co-operate with other government agencies that leads to a positive outcome for residents then let's do it.”
Health Infrastructure was contacted for comment.
