THE transport links to Princess Alexandra Hospital are poor and a park-and-ride scheme should be considered to aid patients and staff.

That was the opinion of Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust chief executive John Gilham in a presentation to Harlow Council when he said there was a very high proportion of staff who lived within three to five miles of the hospital who used their cars to travel to work.

He questioned the possibility of implementing a park-and-ride scheme as a joint venture between the hospital and Harlow Council.

Council vice-chairman Ian Jackson noted there were problems parking at the hospital and both staff and patients needed easy access to their cars and the hospital. He added that an off-site park-and-ride scheme might provide a good solution if the hospital and council could work together.