PLANS for 90 extra parking spaces at Colchester General Hospital have been uneviled.

Bosses at the Turner Road hospital want to placate residents who are fed up with patients and staff parking in their streets.

The existing car park will be reconfigured to create more spaces and additional bays will be built over grass verges.

There will not be any extra for disabled parking because the new spaces would be too far away from the entrance to the hospital.

A footpath will be built to link the new spaces to the hospital.

Residents in streets near the hospital have complained about the noise, obstructive parking and congested roads caused by patients and staff.

The situation is particularly acute in the mid-afternoons when visiting time is held as well as people attending out-patient units.

Helen Morgans, of Wryneck Close, said: “They have to do something about it. The residents in roads further to the north of us get more of the hospital staff as we get primary care trust staff parking here. The parking here takes up one side of the road and effectively makes Wryneck Close a one-way street. It could easily cause a crash.

“The other week, I came head-to-head with one man, who was overtaking a bus as he entered my road, and the look on his face was of complete surprise.

“Ninety new spaces has got to make a difference. It’s bound to. But is it the space that is an issue, or is it the charges that are putting people off?”

Scott Greenhill, borough and parish councillor for Mile End, said the success of the scheme will depend on how much the hospital charges for spaces.

He said: “They will obviously want to generate revenue from these spaces which might put people off. I welcome it but I hope the charges will be kept to as minimal a level as possible.”

Residents can comment on the proposals until July 21. Colchester Council has the final say on the application.