CAR clamping could be brought in alongside other plans to tackle parking chaos at Worcestershire Royal Hospital.

The Worcestershire Acute NHS Trust has approved management ideas, which include increasing pay and display charges and the possibility of red zones - a no parking area - to reduce parking difficulties.

John Summers, PR project manager, told a meeting of the trust yesterday that the charges, which would double the cost of parking for four hours from £1 to £2, would happen in July.

The car-park proposals - which aim to create almost 300 spaces - are out to tender until Tuesday, May 27, and work is expected to begin in either late June or July.

Colin Beardwood, a non-executive director of the trust, said it was not a revenue-raising scheme. Inst-ead, it would benefit patients.

He stressed that illegal parking should be dealt with strongly.

"Parking at the Worcester site has been an absolute despair in the last 18 months, especially trying to move people properly," he said.

"It can't do anything for people's health and development and something has to be done. The key to this is enforcement. It has to be rigorously enforced."

Mr Summers confirmed talks were underway about using clamping for unauthorised vehicles, especially in disabled bays.

The red zones would be used to provide clear access for ambulances and A&E crews at all times.

A permit allocation for staff had also been put forward, which would take into account staff sharing vehicles and the distance they had to travel.

The extra 289 spaces - to raise capacity from 1,202 spaces to 1,491 - will be created by the introduction of a one-way system and extending existing staff and patient car parks.

Plants and pay and display machines that take up places will be moved to other areas.

Work could be completed by Tuesday, September 30.