THE investment in the new South Glasgow Hospital is huge and is welcome for the future of healthcare in the city.

However, for a development of this size and with the increased number of people who will be coming to the area, there has to be a detailed transport plan.

The current situation is nowhere near satisfactory and staff, patients, visitors and nearby residents will suffer as a result.

The approval of the car-parking spaces was only done on the understanding there would be dozens more buses each day, but that does not seem to be materialising any time soon.

We have seen problems before with parking at hospitals and, with insufficient public transport to get people to and from the sites, people with cars will continue to use them.

For staff working long and unsocial hours it is not good enough, and for patients and visitors with more pressing matters on their mind it is a headache they can do without. For residents who will see an influx of cars parked in their streets, it will be frustrating.

This needs a proper transport study with officials from the health board, council and bus firms getting together to devise a practical solution that meets the needs of the hospital.