SIR: In the article (BEN, March 26) regarding the bid to end hospital car park misery, Beverley Andrew, Director of Operations with Bolton Hospitals NHS Trust, states that "before the transfer of services to the Royal Bolton site, there were approximately 1,000 car parking spaces available, and now there are 1,570 spaces".

How many of these spaces are taken by the extra staff moving onto this site, and how many are therefore available for patients, visitors, out-patients etc?

The fact that so many of the places do seem to be taken by staff, has caused innumerable problems for out-patients attending clinics, as they drive round the car parks trying to locate spaces, and are then late for their appointments.

Many of the parking spaces for disabled people are also too far away from main entrances, and are quite often used by people who do not have an 'orange badge'. Surely someone could check on this position, much as traffic wardens do, and either book or clamp these offenders.

Mrs Doris Taylor

Pimlott Road, Hall i'th' Wood

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.