To ask the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety for an update on addressing car parking capacity issues at the Royal Victoria Hospital for Sick Children, Belfast.

Belfast Health and Social Care Trust have advised that they have a contract with a private sector operator, Car Park Services (CPS), and meet with them monthly to discuss how they can improve capacity in visitor car parks. Recent initiatives include reducing staff spaces by 60, offering shuttle buses for staff , and providing parking in areas other than visitor’s car parks for certain categories of patients.

In the medium term plans exist for the construction of a new multi-storey car park at the Royal Hospitals site, which would create much needed car parking spaces close to all key facilities. This is linked to the development of the new regional Children’s Hospital.