A MAN visiting his father in Swindon’s Great Western Hospital has said it would have been quicker for him to drive and see him in Bristol – rather than queue trying to get into the GWH car park.

Manoj Madhani spent more than 40 minutes queuing on Marlborough Road this afternoon as he tried to visit his father who is recovering in hospital following a knee replacement operation.

The 46-year-old set off from Swindon town centre to visit his father at around midday on Tuesday to take him some food.

But when he reached the Coate Water roundabout he was met with queuing traffic heading towards the hospital. He decided to carry on down to the Commonhead Interchange and approach the hospital from the opposite direction.

But he was met with cars queuing right back on to the A419 towards the M4 roundabout.

“They have got to have another entrance, it’s chaos,” he told The Advertiser after parking.

“It’s an absolute nightmare, it’s not the first time I have seen this. I have seen the traffic backed up like this many times, and twice I have got stuck in it going in for appointments. It is ridiculous.”

It took him more than 40 minutes from joining the queuing traffic to find a parking space near The Shalbourne Suite in The Brunel Treatment Centre.

“I went to the back of the hospital, but those going in at the front were still queuing to find a space,” he said.

“If he was in Bristol I could have driven to see him in the same time it has taken me to queue here.

“I don’t know how ambulances are getting through.”

One woman who didn't have time to queue abandoned her car on the forecourt of the nearby M4 Van Centre at around 2pm, fearing that she was about to have a miscarriage.

"She came here in a complete mad panic," said the centre's assistant sales manager Stephen Woodward. "She left her car here because she could not get anywhere near the hospital."

"We have tried talking to the council, we have tried talking to the NHS. It is affecting our business, it's every day from 12.30pm until 3.30pm or 4pm - both sides of the dual carriageway, gridlocked."

He added that people getting off buses were dicing with death as they tried to cross the road rather than sit in the traffic, as the other lanes of the carriageway remain clear, with cars sticking to the 50mph speed limit.

"Someone is going to be really badly injured," said Stephen.

A spokesperson for the Great Western Hospital said that work had begun yesterday to extend the staff car park, which it was hoped would reduce some of the pressure felt in the main visitor car park.

The spokesperson said: “We know that parking at the Great Western Hospital can be a frustrating experience for our patients and visitors and can add unnecessary stress and worry to their visit.

“All our patients and visitors are strongly encouraged to allow as much time as possible for any potential parking and traffic delays when coming to the Great Western Hospital by car.

“Patients who find themselves running late because of parking are reminded that our staff will always do their best to ensure that you are still able to be seen.

“We are fully aware of the parking problem and are doing all we can within the constraints of our financial position to improve the situation and make it easier for all patients, visitors and staff.

“Some of our teams are also offering appointment slots at the weekend to reduce the demand on the car park between Monday and Friday.

“We would like to thank local people for their patience and understanding at this time and extend a big thank you to our parking attendants, who are there to help local people park as quickly as possible in all weathers.”