Traffic and parking

Following our first round of pre-application public planning engagement earlier this year, we have taken on board that this is a key area for patients, staff and the local community.

Following our first round of pre-application public planning engagement earlier this year, we have taken on board that this is a key area for patients, staff and the local community.

To make the site more accessible via sustainable transport methods we have been working with the local highways authority to introduce more cycle routes and pathways for our patients and staff.   Detailed traffic surveys are also being carried out in conjunction with Suffolk County Council Highways to understand the impact of the development on traffic together with potential road and junction improvements.

We have identified that this project creates an opportunity to allow traffic to move around our site in a more efficient way. For example, the pedestrian access from Hardwick Heath to the entrance of our existing hospital delays cars and ambulances entering the site which sometimes backs onto the Highway. We expect this issue to be resolved in any new layout and we want to make it safer and more comfortable for pedestrians and cyclists too.

We acknowledge that many people access the current hospital by bus. We continue to have detailed conversations with bus operators in the town to ensure that both staff and patients can easily access the new hospital by bus.

We will be aiming to deliver all car parking necessary on our site. This will be through accessible parking spaces on Hardwick Manor, and a mixture of new car park provision and retained car parking on Hardwick Lane (depending on the extent of the Hardwick Lane site that will be retained.)

These images below are high level designs which are there to simply illustrate the type of junction that might be possible. Further work is being progressed with more detailed design proposals to be the subject of future planning applications known as reserved matters applications.

The diagram below shows the possible flow of traffic and parking options on site