200 new car parks for Tauranga Hospital

The number of car parking spaces for patients and staff at Tauranga Hospital has been increased, with 200 additional spaces freeing up.

With 191,000 appointments at the hospital each year, an average of 523 a day, parking has become difficult but the issue has been, and continues to be, addressed says Bay of Plenty District Health Board (BOPDHB) general manager property services Jeff Hodson.

"It is important to us that our patients, family members and other visitors have preferential treatment for parking," he 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. It is solely for the use of patients and visitors."

The additional 200 parking spaces now freed up will relieve some of the car parking pressure felt by visitors said Mr Hodson.

More parking spaces for people requiring mobility parking spaces have also been marked out in both the Cameron Road and Clarke Street car parks.

Mr Hodson said it recently came to his attention that many patients and visitors were unaware of the parking available in the hospital's Clarke Street car park and he urged them to utilise it.

The Clarke Street car park can be accessed from either 17th or 20th Avenues. There is a lift available at the hospital-end of the car park which delivers people up to the main entrance/reception area.