Car sharing, a park-and-ride scheme and half-price bus season tickets are the main planks of Southend Hospital's bid to reduce the parking chaos around the Prittlewell Chase site.

Details of the plan, which is due to come into operation from January next year, have been revealed in reports to the council's development control committee.

Next Wednesday's meeting will be asked to approve two further plans for development at the hospital.

The plans are for an extension to the radiotherapy unit, as well as using two homes in Cardigan Avenue at the back of the hospital for offices and a palliative care unit.

Hospital bosses said measures were actively being taken to relieve the parking situation.

The hospital submission said staff were being encouraged to sign up to formal car-sharing arrangements.

By the end of January 2006, after the first year of the scheme, it is expected to save 75 spaces through sharing.

At the moment, the hospital is informing staff which of them will be allowed a permanent car park pass, while those without passes will be offered alternatives.

Published Thursday August 12, 2004

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