MP calls for Durham Park and Ride bus hospital extension

Mary Kelly Foy, Labour MP for City of Durham, says “creative solutions” are needed to alleviate the issues and has called on Durham County Council for help. 

She said the nearby Park and Ride site at Sniperley could be used by people attending and working at University Hospital North Durham (UHND) to ease pressures following a rise in demand. 

Cars are often left at the roadside and block access in residential streets, with visitors describing the issues as “chaotic and deeply distressing”. 

Earlier this month, hospital bosses confirmed that additional parking is now temporarily available at Durham County Hall. 

In a letter to the council, Ms Foy said: “The lack of available parking has moved beyond a mere inconvenience; it is now actively resulting in constituents missing vital clinical appointments and causing significant distress to both patients and local residents in the surrounding areas.

“It is clear that further creative solutions are required while we await the long‑term delivery of the permanent parking expansion associated with the hospital’s Emergency Department extension.”

County Durham and Darlington NHS Trust is encouraging its staff to park at the council’s Aykley Heads headquarters to free up parking closer to the hospital for patients and visitors. 

But local parish councillor Grenville Holland said residents had predicted the parking issues when around 100 hospital parking spaces were removed from the Melbury Court car park for new student accommodation.

Ms Foy added: “The current chaos at the entrance to the UHND site has recently been spilling back onto the main highways around the site, with cars often parked on grass verges and parking tickets being issued as drivers make desperate attempts to simply get loved ones to appointments on time. 

“This clearly cannot continue, nor can we accept a situation where the health of Durham residents is compromised by an inability to park. 

“I believe that utilising the existing high‑quality infrastructure at Sniperley is the most efficient way to provide immediate relief.”

A spokesperson for County Durham and Darlington NHS Trust said it is in discussions with the local authority about extending the Park and Ride scheme. 

Tim McGuinness, Durham County Council cabinet member for transport, said: “We are speaking to the NHS trust about how our Durham City park and ride offer can help and will be promoting this as a good value, convenient travel option for anyone visiting the hospital.

“The service operates daily from 7am to 7pm with buses every 15 minutes that travel along the B6352 and stop near the Accident and Emergency entrance, making it a convenient option for people going to the hospital.”