Changes to parking times and traffic flow around the hospital precinct will also be introduced.

New two-hour parking zones have been installed in Scenic Drive and in a hospital parking area off Shoalhaven Street.

Shoalhaven Hospital security guards will issue parking fines for people who overstay time limits within the hospital grounds.

Hospital general manager, Joel George, said a number of additional parking spaces as well as improved signage and a redistribution of disabled parking provisions was being implemented. 

“The issue of parking is always a challenge,” he said.

“We’ve looked at how to best utilise the current available space.

“An additional 24 spaces will now be available,” he said.

The extra parks come after the removal of a fenced off area for health service fleet cars, which have been relocated from the main car park to another area within the hospital.

Mr George said as well as timed parking, speed humps were also being installed around the hospital. 

“These changes will allow greater access to parking, while providing improved traffic flow and safer pedestrian movements,” he said.

Allocated two-hour parking zones are now in place on Scenic Drive at the western side of the hospital, overlooking the Shoalhaven River and in a car park off the southern-most driveway into the hospital (formerly the main entrance to the complex) off Shoalhaven Street. 

Further upgrades are planned along the driveway off Shoalhaven Street, including an additional speed hump to slow traffic and an upgraded turning circle with improved signage. 

There has also been a reallocation of some disabled parking spots for people with disability parking permits.

“We want people who drive to the hospital, including staff, to be aware of the changed traffic and parking conditions around the campus,” Mr George said. 

Drivers are reminded that they should always park according to the signposted restrictions as infringement notices will apply. 

A spokesperson for Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District said Shoalhaven Hospital security staff had undertaken training to be registered and able to issue parking infringements.

“It is part of their roles. They already monitor the safety in the parking areas and now they have extra powers if need arises to issue infringements,” the spokesperson said.

“It is not their primary role and we don’t want people to think because a security guard may be walking towards them in the car park that they are going to issue a fine.

“That is not the case, but people must also be aware they are now trained to do just that.

“It’s not something that we are keen to see happen, but these changes and restrictions are necessary to ensure people have appropriate access to the limited parking spaces available.”

Parking on the road area in Scenic Drive and Shoalhaven Streets will continue to be patrolled and come under the control of Shoalhaven City Council.  

CHANGES: Two hour car parking has been installed in Scenic Drive around the Shoalhaven Hospital precinct and also in the hospital’s car park off Shoalhaven Street.