Two new roads will open at John Hunter Hospital to ease congestion in and around the health precinct, but nurses still struggle to find a car park at the state's largest regional hospital.
The new internal roads will open on Thursday, October 10, as part of the $835-million John Hunter Health precinct and will improve the traffic flow at the campus.
The hospital's NSW Nurses and Midwives Association branch secretary, Linda Mobbs, hoped the new internal roads would ease the morning congestion along Lookout Road.
"Often traffic is queued up past the lights at both [hospital] entrances - it's very hard and is making staff run late, so they have to leave early to make up for it," Ms Mobbs said.
But staff were more concerned about parking than traffic, Ms Mobbs said,
At the moment, John Hunter Hospital (JHH) has almost 3500 car parks, 2500 of which are reserved for staff. But the demand is so high, staff have been forced into the public car parks.
To add insult to injury, staff are forced to pay to park in the public spaces.
"After 8.30am, getting a park is a nightmare," Ms Mobbs said.
"Staff starting the 1pm shift have to drive around for half-an-hour to find a car park. Then they get the pay for the privilege to work.
"Until we get another car park, I'm not sure how much the new roads will actually help."
The new roads - dubbed Cockatoo Crescent and Banksia Drive - have been built in preparation to connect to the 900-space car park beneath the new acute services building, which is under construction and expected to be completed in 2026.
Minister for the Hunter Yasmin Catley said the government was committed to ensuring the hospital was accessible for staff, patients and their loved ones.
"We know that many travel long distances to John Hunter and providing convenient nearby parking alleviates one more concern for people seeking medical attention or visiting family," the Swansea MP said.
The new roads will eventually connect to the Rankin Park to Jesmond section of the Newcastle Inner-City Bypass.
The new bypass is estimated to remove 40,000 cars per day from Lookout Road once completed.
Regional Health Minister Ryan Park said the road works marked an important step in future-proofing the road network and improving access to the expanding hospital campus.
"The $835-million John Hunter Health and Innovation Precinct will transform healthcare services for Newcastle and the wider Hunter region," he said.
