Cr Shields released a plan today to the Daily Liberal that has “been in the works for some time” and forms part of an “official” offer to NSW Health to sort out the parking dilemma.

The plan involves the Dubbo Council making land available to the NSW government on Myall Street for car parking.

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"I made an election commitment to work with NSW Health for this hospital car park because I think there is nowhere near enough parking allocated," he said.

"The NSW state government needs to be congratulated wholeheartedly for building this hospital, but it's no use having the best hospital in rural NSW and not enough car parking, you may as well build it on the moon.

“I am delivering on an election promise with this offer, these are preliminary designs, there is still work to be done, but this is our offer to NSW Health.

“We will offer the space to the government; these plans are fully engineered to make sure they are workable, they have no negative impact on the stormwater drainage in the park. Council looks forward to the state government’s response.”  

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A Health Infrastructure spokesperson said a traffic and parking assessment determined that a single level car park would be sufficient to support proposed redevelopment requirements of the hospital. 

"In 2013, a new 280 space car park was delivered as part of the $91.3 million Stages one and two redevelopments, which was a significant increase for the hospital campus," the spokesperson said.

"Under the Stages three and four the traffic and parking assessment determined that a single level car park would be sufficient to support proposed redevelopment requirements of the hospital. 

"Following responses to the SSDA (State Significant Development Application), the number of car parking spaces, was increased from 107 spaces to 131 car spaces which also meets the Dubbo Regional Council’s guidelines. 

"The Stages three and four the redevelopment will be providing the 131 spaces upon completion of Stage four."

Labor candidate for Dubbo Stephen Lawrence said a petition being circulated by Nationals candidate Dugald Saunders to lobby the NSW government for more parking spaces is cynical politics and absurd.

"Council staff have been working on a solution to the car parking issue and the mayor said an announcement might be close," he said.

"Days later Dugald launches this bogus petition. The absurdity of a Nationals candidate petitioning the government that is running his campaign is pretty obvious.  

"I'm sure people won't fall for the old fake petition trick. Shame on Dugald. "The fact is the Nationals have failed to cater for car parking at the hospital adequately and no amount of cynical political tricks will disguise that.”