That’s according to Independent candidate for Maitland Cr Philip Penfold.

The site of the new hospital at Metford is Crown land so the state government has said that the money saved not having to buy land would be used to improve other health facilities in the area.

The Mercury has documented many cases of residents, particularly in Regent Street, who have been parked in and unable to get their cars onto the road to leave their own homes.

And sick people are sometimes forced to walk long distances to the hospital doors.

“The current provision for parking [at Maitland Hospital] is not adequate,” Cr Penfold said.

“I would think that an extra level of parking is worth exploring.” 

The existing car park at the corner of the New England Highway and High Street, which is accessed from Bonar Street, has a boom gate that requires people to pay with gold coins upon entry.

Cr Penfold said the system was archaic when most car parks allowed people to pay on exit, either using a machine or a person at the exit.

“Without those gold coins people turn away,” he said.

Hunter New England Health said it had no plans to expand parking at the hospital or to change the payment system.

“In 2013, a new 44-space staff car park was opened,” HNEH capital works manager Brett Evans said. 

“The car park, located on hospital grounds, is helping to ease parking pressure in the streets near the hospital.”