NEW car parking charges at Andover War Memorial Hospital have caused considerable disruption to its neighbours it was claimed at a joint meeting of Test Valley Borough and Hampshire County councillors.

A nearby shopping parade which offers free parking has been forced to introduce clamping for those who abuse their parking hospitality.

Parking at the hospital now costs 70p for the first hour with a maximum charge for six hours or more of £4.50. To escape paying the fees hospital visitors have been clogging up neighbouring roads and car parks which in turn has exacerbated a problem at the nearby railway station where demand for commuter car parking exceeds supply.

"This problem is not going away and will happen again and again," Cllr Pat West told the meeting of Test Valley Highway and Transport Advisory Panel.

"The consultation that the health authority did on this was very, very narrow."

She said free parking bays at a doctors' surgery next to the hospital were now full by 7.30am - even though it doesn't open until 9am.

And there is likely to be extra pressure from visitors and workers at the new nursing home when it opens, although contractors vehicles will have gone.

Hampshire's deputy leader, Cllr Mike Woodhall, said: "We will soon get the nursing home finished and then see how it settles down and take a whole view of the site." But he recommended the county's executive be made aware of the situation.

For the full story see Friday's Andover Advertiser.