LAST week, I had to make a morning visit to the new hospital.

Despite reading about the problems, you don't really understand how much of a problem parking is until you get there.

I was lucky. I only had to travel up and down the rows of cars for about five minutes before I happened to see someone leaving. As I went to pay the parking fee, a woman arrived in great distress.

She said it had taken her nearly an hour to find a parking spot. She'd been pipped to a vacant space so many times she was angry and frustrated almost to the point of crying and worried about missing her appointment.

What must it be like at visiting times if it is jampacked in the mornings?

This is not the way to arrive at any hospital for treatment. I noticed the many cars parked upon yellow lines and halfway across pedestrian walkways. The threat of clamping or being illegally parked must be so upsetting for many visitors.

How on earth could the planners and authorities responsible be so blind as to the need at every hospital for sufficient parking space? I am aware that consideration is being given to additional space.

This urgent problem needs immediate action, not future consideration. As a start, the pretty tree planted borders could be turned into additional parking spaces.

The Green Belt is precious to us all, but with the hospital built on the edge of the countryside, perhaps this is one and only occasion when a small portion of it should be utilised immediately to ease the traffic congestion at the hospital.

PETER CAFFREY,

Bevere,

Worcester.