A new 1,600 space staff car park is set to open at University Hospital, Coventry as part of a major infrastructure project that will also further improve the experience of patients and visitors.

The car park has been delivered by University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) NHS Trust in partnership with health and care property developer Prime Plc and constructed by Montel Civil Engineering.

As well as offering additional secure parking to staff, the ‘game-changing’ development will help to increase parking capacity for patients and visitors at the front of the hospital.

A total of 34 active Electric Vehicle (EV) charging spaces have been included in the new car park. There are also 46 passive charging spaces which can be activated to meet future need, believed to be the largest number provided by any NHS Trust in the country. 34 motorcycle parking spaces and spaces for bicycle parking are also available.

The car park is due to welcome its first staff members on Monday 14th March as part of a phased launch running up until the end of the month.

Professor Andy Hardy, Chief Executive Officer at UHCW NHS Trust, said: “I am delighted to see this vital piece of infrastructure come to fruition.

“The new car park will have a potentially game-changing impact on staff, patients and visitors – delivering an enhanced experience of accessing the hospital. By providing more dedicated staff spaces the Trust will also be better able to recruit and retain staff.

“I would like to say a massive thank you to our partners Prime Plc and Montel Civil Engineering, as well as our local communities, for helping to make this possible.”

Staff Car Park 11, as it will be known, contains CCTV cameras, extensive lighting and a dedicated short access route to the back of the main University Hospital building to enhance user safety.

UHCW NHS Trust has allocated permits across differing shift patterns to help support traffic flow across the site.

Will Bilbrough, Technical Development Director at Prime, said: “UHCW NHS Trust has been trying to find a way to further increase capacity at University Hospital, Coventry for a number of years. By working with the community, local councillors and the Trust, we are proud to have devised a solution through this development allowing UHCW NHS Trust to continue to focus on delivering their outstanding service for years to come.”

Simon Turbutt, Managing Director at Montel Civil Engineering, added: “This is an extremely prestigious project and a fantastic addition to the facilities at University Hospital, Coventry which will really improve the parking conditions for staff and patients. We are delighted to have worked alongside our client Prime and the local supply chain to deliver it. There have been a number of challenges which we have overcome, and it is testimony to the great teamwork from all parties to have achieved a successful completion.”

Following community consultation, it was decided the sole entry and exit point for the new car park would be via Clifford Bridge Road using the existing routes through the hospital campus.