Queen's Hospital, Romford car park full reopening delayed

Queen's Hospital car park in Rom Valley Way will no longer reopen on September 16 because work has been put back by the weather, the trust which runs it has revealed. 

The multi-storey site was closed on July 20 by Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust (BHRUT) to undergo "essential improvement works".

The closure meant making more than 1,100 spaces temporarily unavailable to patients and staff for the first three weeks of work before reopening in stages.

It comes after a review by independent heath and safety inspectors found multiple issues with the premises.

"The lighting wasn’t good enough; the layout wasn’t safe for pedestrians; the doors were too heavy to open for parents with children and those with disabilities; and the tarmac on the roof had suffered significant sun damage," BHRUT said the review found.

Works being carried out to the car park include resurfacing, adding pedestrian walkways, improved lighting and doors. 

An update has been issued on the hospital's website, alerting patients to the prolonged extension. 

It read: "Essential improvement works on the multi-storey car park at Queen’s Hospital are taking place until 24 September.

"Work on the top floor of the car park have been delayed due to the weather and our contractors need more time to finish the work.

"This means we will not be fully open on September 16 as previously hoped. The car park should now reopen on Wednesday, September 25."

The car park will now fully reopen on September 25 (Image: BHRUT) Patients, visitors and staff will be able to park on the ground, first and second floors of the multi-storey car park in the meantime.

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The hospital has advised those who can use public transport to do so to avoid taking up parking spaces for those most in need. 

The dedicated car parks for blue badge holders and haematology and oncology patients remains unaffected by the works.