HOSPITAL bosses have apologised for the gridlock in Worcestershire Royal's one-way traffic system this week.

Vehicles were bumper-to-bumper at the Charles Hastings Way hospital on Wednesday, with one eyewitness reporting buses stuck and cars abandoned.

Peter Sleightholme, general manager for Catalyst Healthcare, which carries out maintenance work at the hospital, explained that annual maintenance work was being carried out, which blocked some parking spaces.

He said: "We apologise for any inconvenience caused by traffic flow problems. This was due to hedge-cutting work at the staff residences, an annual maintenance task as undertaken in previous years.

"A number of car parking spaces were coned off for health and safety reasons while this work was being carried out and, as the hedge-cutting progressed, these were allowed back into use.

"However, as soon as we became aware that there was a traffic flow problem as a result, we instructed the work to stop and the parking bays to be returned into use.

"We are working with the trust to increase the number of parking bays on the site."

Alec Mackie, who works at the neighbouring fire service base, which shares an access road to the hospital, said: "There was severe congestion for most of the morning. Buses were stuck and cars were abandoned, presumably with appointments to make. It's the worst I've seen."

Parking at Worcestershire Royal Hospital has been an issue since it opened in 2002, with nearby roads and residential streets also clogged with staff and visitor cars.

Earlier this month, Worcester planners approved an application to create another 91 spaces in the staff car park and add a new access road, so staff can cut out the one-way system.

The move is in preparation for the park-and-ride service being expanded, when members of the public will be encouraged to use the hospital as a terminal at the weekends.

Planners hope the move will reduce the pressure on parking elsewhere on the site.