NURSING leaders say a lack of parking at Glasgow's new state-of-the-art hospital will leave staff with difficulties getting to work.

Health bosses have provided 2,500 car park spaces at the new £842million South Glasgow Hospitals campus on the site of the Southern General.

The Royal College of Nursing however, said that with 13,500 staff and visitors expected every day there is a huge shortfall.

Leaders have said staff surveys have identified areas in the greater Glasgow area where there are no direct public transport links.

Anne Thompson, RCN officer for Glasgow said that in many cases travel by car was the only available option.

She said: "The big problem is for staff coming in from various areas in and around Glasgow where there is no direct public transport to the hospital. Nursing staff are very badly affected as a result of shift times starting and finishing work early in the morning and late at night.

"Private companies won't run a bus for a handful of people to get to work early in the morning."

Ms Thompson said she was aware of the environmental argument and desire for people to walk and cycle more, but said it was not always practical and policies were impacting unfairly on staff.

She added: "There are concerns among staff about women late at night. We know the environmental argument but there have to be allowances made in certain circumstances.

"You can't cycle several miles to and from work for a 12-hour shift, certainly not on a January morning for a 7am start."

The RCN has identified a number of areas from where staff will have problems reaching the hospital.

The areas are to the north, north-west, and south of the city: Milngavie, Bearsden, Kelvindale and Partick, Clydebank, Newton Mearns, Giffnock and Barrhead, Cathcart, Castlemilk and Shawlands. Ms Thompson added: "This is a fantastic new hospital facility we are getting for Glasgow.

"There is a lot of land there and we believe there should be more parking provision."

A spokeswoman for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said: "Ensuring our staff get home safely after their shift is a primary concern for us.

"We are investing over £30 million in car-parking facilities which include a number of multi-storey car parks and improvements to existing parking facilities."

She said improved public transport, traffic controls in the surrounding area and upgrading works to roadswould all help.

stewart.paterson@eveningtimes.co.uk