FEARS have been raised over the future of a hospital's park and ride service which is expected to come to an end.

The Park and Ride service was introduced to help ease parking pressures and traffic congestion at Glan Clwyd Hospital in Bodelwyddan. The scheme is aimed mainly at staff, with the aim of freeing up more space at the hospital for patients and visitors, but it is also popular with patients.

The parking area is on the former Hotpoint factory site in Bodelwyddan and holds up to 250 cars.

The shuttle, which started in 2014, is being reviewed - to see if it can carry on - but could finish now the seven-year redevelopment project at the hospital is ending.

A spokesperson for Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board said: "The Park and Ride service was introduced as a way of easing parking pressures at Glan Clwyd Hospital while spaces were lost due to the redevelopment project. The project is now coming to an end.

"We are reviewing the possibility of continuing this service, and have built an additional 167 car park spaces on the hospital site which were not present before construction work began.

"Our on-site parking will return to full capacity once construction work is complete.”

Doris Evans, who uses the service, said: "I am an elderly person and I use the park and ride. It is so terrible to park at the hospital - we must not lose this service."

Ted Francis, of Abergele, said: "It is a great help in helping people to arrive on time and in a relaxed frame of mind.

"I suggest a campaign is launched to energise whatever public support is required to ensure the continuation of this wonderful service."

The land where the park and ride is located is owned by Reflex and Allen.

The park and ride currently runs every 15 minutes commencing from 6.30am and running until 7.30pm Monday to Friday.