Controversial new doctors-only parking bay approved outside Southsea surgery

Following a request from the Waverley Road Surgery a doctors only parking bay will be installed on Herbert Road, outside the practice.

At a Portsmouth City Council meeting on Thursday (Nov 15) the head of transport, Cllr Lynne Stagg, approved the bay on the grounds that it would enable on-call doctors, who are based at both Waverley Road and Salisbury Road Surgery, to reach patients more quickly.

But some felt the space would be better used by patients with limited mobility.

Mike Forbes, a resident of Waverley Road, attended the meeting. In his deputation he said: '˜This doctors surgery does not stand alone, it is a group practice. If the doctors are required to be on-call then they are quite at liberty to use the Salisbury Road facility which has ample parking.

'˜I think I counted about eight parking spaces in Herbert Road. I just don't see why they need that bay.

'˜I suggest they follow their own advice and use a bicycle because it's not very far between the surgeries. That's the advice they are always giving me, to get on my bike and get more exercise.'

Instead Cllr Stagg ruled in favour of the bay but stipulated that the space could be used by residents between 6pm and 8am the following day on weekdays, and for the whole of the weekend. She also decided that the doctor bay should be moved further down from the surgery to give patients the chance to park closer.

She said: '˜I feel that it is a happy compromise to have parking bay up until 6pm for the use of doctors that are there, and then for residents afterwards.

'˜And I think the suggestion of moving it back, although we haven't discussed it with everybody, it will mean a parking space is available for patients who may have mobility issues.'

Labour Cllr Yahiya Chowdhury added: '˜GPs are very busy these days with pressures put on them by the government. They have to go out at any time and come in to see the patients.

'˜I completely recommend this and I can't compromise on that.'