DUDLEY councillors have hit back at Russells Hall Hospital bosses who have objected to plans to overhaul parking around the site.

After setting up Russells Hall Parking Working Party to develop proposals aimed at tackling parking congestion in the streets surrounding the hospital, Dudley Council's traffic engineers put forward plans to restrict access in a number of residential roads.

However during a public consultation, The Dudley Group of Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust lodged an objection to the plans as they felt the restrictions would not solve the problem.

Hospital chief executive, Paula Clark, said: "The objection was based on the Trust stance that the proposal will not solve the parking issues around the hospital but may result in pushing the problem into neighbouring areas.

“We urge the council to wait until the outcome of our forthcoming planning application which is aimed at maximising the number of staff parking spaces on site."

Cllr Khurshid Ahmed, chairman of the Russells Hall Parking Working Party, said he was “disappointed” with the hospital’s view and called for an explanation of their claims they could “resolve the issues themselves.”

He said: “The reaction of the hospital raises many questions. I am very disappointed that the proposals that local councillors and council officers spent weeks discussing and developing to address the concerns of our residents have been dismissed so readily and so far they have provided little detail about alternative measures.”

Pensnett and Brockmoor ward councillor Judy Foster, who is also shadow cabinet nember for transport, added: "In the seven years I have represented this ward, there has always been a problem and it is nowhere near being solved.”

A second wave of consultation into the parking proposals is set to start in the coming months, with councillor Angus Adams, cabinet member for transportation, confirming the findings would be submitted to Central Dudley Area Committee later in the year.