PLANS for a £5million multi-storey car park at York Hospital have been shelved indefinitely.

Building work on the new 420-space car park had been due to start last September – but The Press can today reveal that the project has become the latest casualty of the credit crunch.

Hospital bosses said the developers, APCOA Parking, had been forced to reconsider its funding options as a result of the deteriorating economic situation.

Last July, the firm signed a contract with the hospital to invest £5.25 million in the car park – money which would have been recouped over the next 25 years from parking charges.

Richard Smith, chairman of York Hospital’s recently-disbanded patient forum, said the news was “extremely disappointing” for patients.

He said: “It was about ten years ago that the idea was first thought of and we’ve been looking forward to this new car park for years.

“I was at the hospital yesterday afternoon and had to queue for at least 20 minutes to get a place in the car park.

“There were even cars queuing down Wigginton Road and disrupting traffic flow.

“During visiting hours, parking is a real problem at the hospital and this multi-storey car park can’t come soon enough.”

A spokesperson for York Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said both the trust and the developers remained committed to the scheme.

She said: “Both the car park’s developers and the hospital were intending to begin work in September 2008.

“However this coincided with the worsening of the global financial situation, and as a result the developers have reconsidered their funding options.

“We are still completely and fully committed to the project and are in regular contact with the developers.

“As soon as we have a confirmed start date we will issue further information.”

The hospital has been working towards the new car park for more than a decade, but has been dogged by a series of problems.

Work was initially due to start in 2005, but a sub-contractor went into liquidation.

The hospital was then forced to reapply for planning permission because it wanted to move the car park by 30 metres from the site initially proposed.

City of York councillor Madeleine Kirk, who sits on the hospital’s board of governors, said: “We just have to hope that the developers will resolve the situation sooner rather than later because York Hospital is desperate for this new car park.”

Alison Hughes, director of strategy and facilities for York Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are keen for work to begin on the car park as soon as it is practical to do so, but in the meantime we have worked hard to increase the number of visitor spaces to limit the adverse affect of this delay on patients and visitors.

“While parking can be more difficult at peak times, the situation is much improved in the last 18 months.”

How the car park saga has dragged on

The car park saga: •1997: Health bosses suggest a multi-storey car park could be the solution to the hospital’s parking woes.

• 2001: Tenders invited for a car parking deck for 150 spaces.

• 2002: FMG becomes commercial partner.

• 2003: Councillors approve multi-storey car park, but delays occur after they initially reject plans for temporary parking while work is done.

•January 2005: Consent granted, but work stops as a sub-contractor goes into liquidation.

•January 2006: Further delays to allow for design changes, but in October, plans are withdrawn at the eleventh hour after council officers recommend the scheme for refusal.

•March 2007: Plans for a multi-storey car park approved.

•July 2008: Hospital signs contract with APCOA Parking.

•September 2008: Building work due to start.

•January 2009: Scheme is shelved following downturn in economy