The number of car parking spaces for patients and staff at Tauranga Hospital has been increased by 200.
With around 191,000 appointments at the hospital every year - an average of 523 a day - parking had become difficult but the issue has been addressed, says Bay of Plenty District Health Board general manager property services Jeff Hodson.
"It is important to us that our patients, family members and other visitors have preferential treatment for parking," Mr Hodson said.
"With this in mind, we have leased land for an additional 200 off-campus parking spaces for staff. This means extra spaces are now available for the exclusive use of patients and visitors in our Clarke St car park. Clarke St is closed to staff during normal working hours."
The additional 200 parking spaces now freed up would relieve some of the car parking pressure felt by visitors, Mr Hodson said.
More parking spaces for people requiring mobility parking spaces were also marked out in the Cameron Rd and Clarke St car parks.
Mr Hodson said many patients and visitors were unaware of parking spaces in the hospital's Clarke St car park .
The Clarke St car park can be accessed from 17th Ave or 20th Ave. A lift at the hospital-end of the car park delivers people up to the main entrance/reception area.