A HASLEMERE town councillor has made a renewed plea for urgent action to solve dangerous parking problems at Haslemere's Hospital and Health centre.

At certain times of the day the Church Road access to the centre, which now also houses the town's ambulance station, is often almost gridlocked with traffic, including heavy vehicles.

Jacquie Keen told members of the Haslemere Town Council planning and highway committee last week that on a recent visit to a doctor's surgery on the site she was "absolutely horrified at the parking".

"There are cars coming and going and there are often near misses with huge lorries barely making it through."

She added that she had spent 10 minutes trying to park.

"The health centre is very concerned and worried for its patients' safety, including the risk to children," said Mrs Keen..

She claimed that the Beech Road access to the hospital was just as bad.

"It is so dangerous, residents can't park in their drives and more development in Beech Road will make it worse," claimed Mrs Keen.

She suspected that patients were leaving their cars in Church Lane and the car parking areas, to walk into town to get their prescriptions dispensed.

Mrs Keen said that the situation hadn't improved since the introduction of white hatching on the road.

"People are still parking there and even a fire engine would have difficulty getting down Church Lane," she continued.

She called for Surrey County Council highways department to extend the double yellow lines in the vicinity of the hospital and health centre.

Jean Arrick suggested that parking charges should be considered and other town councillors thought parking discs could help.

Ted Orchard claimed that free parking at the health centre was "being abused by people who go to the museum". He suggested monitoring the car parking.

James Mackie also spoke of the difficulties of taking disabled patients to the health centre.

"I don't know the answer, there is a very big problem and I believe the health centre and the hospital are trying to find a solution," said Mrs Keen.

Last month The Herald featured a letter written to the town council about the parking problems from Sue Stathers of Weydown Road. She warned: "When the first ambulance either has an accident or is delayed reaching a patient, there will be an outcry."

Replying to the car parking situation Rose Parry, the general manager and clinical director of Haslemere Hospital, told The Herald that parking problems had been growing long before the ambulance station relocated from its former site in Grayswood Road.

She blamed much of the extra parking problems on people leaving their cars while they walk into town. She also believed heavy goods vehicles created difficulties, using Church Lane as a rat-run to avoid the low Fosters bridge near Haslemere railway station and to access the industrial estate in Weydown Road.