A TEMPORARY staff car park is to be built for Bulli Hospital while the NSW Government grapples with finding permanent solutions to mounting traffic and parking congestion in the area.

Work will start next week to transform a section of land at the intersection of Memorial Drive and the Princes Highway at Bulli into a temporary free car park free for Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District staff. The car park is set to be operational by October.

The land, owned by Transport for NSW, is a 200 metre walk from Bulli Hospital and staff using the car park will be required to cross the busy Princes Highway by a signalised pedestrian crossing.

The car park will feature about 17 spaces, and lighting and signage will be installed.

Minister for the Illawarra and the South Coast Ryan Park said the Government was committed to Bulli Hospital staff having access to convenient and secure parking options.

“This parking solution is additional to the options already in place including the expanded free on-demand shuttle, extra spaces at the Bulli Ambulance Station, and timed parking on Hospital Road,” he said. 

“Transport for NSW and NSW Health have worked together to provide a solution that cuts down on the commute time and prioritises the health and wellbeing of our frontline staff by providing easy access to their place of work.”

Work to build the car park will take about six weeks and will include removing vegetation, constructing new pavement, widening the existing driveway and installing a boom gate, lights, signs, line-marking and fencing.

Work will be carried out between 7am and 5pm, Monday to Friday, from Monday 19 August until Friday 27 September, weather permitting.

Single lane closures and a reduced speed limit of 40 kmh will be in place on the Princes Highway during the work between 9.30am and 2.30pm.

The bus stop on the Princes Highway opposite Hospital Road will be temporarily relocated about 50 metres south during work.

Motorists are advised to allow five minutes’ additional travel time, drive to the conditions, and follow the directions of signs and traffic control

State MP for Heathcote Maryanne Stuart said work on the staff car park is being expedited.

“I’d like to thank our health staff for their ongoing patience and flexibility while we work through a permanent solution to provide enough parking spaces on-site,”she said.

“We are working on long term solutions and will continue to listen to the community and monitor the conditions in the vicinity of the hospital.”

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