HUNDREDS of people have signed a petition calling for improved parking facilities near a GP surgery in Redditch.

The petition which has been set up by Elgar House Surgery states the lack of parking near the surgery is ‘unfair on patients’.

Several years ago, patients used a car park owned by the Kingfisher Shopping Centre on Church Road which was opposite the surgery.

However, this was then demolished in 2021 and is now an unused space.

Jessica Bethel, deputy practice manager at Elgar House Surgery said they receive parking complaints ‘all the time’ from patients so decided to take action.

“It’s double yellow lined outside so all of our patients are getting fined when they are parking there,” said Jessica.

“Some patients don’t have a blue badge but cannot walk very far so park outside the surgery and then get fined.

“The former car park over the road is just empty now.

“It’s a 10-minute walk from the town centre and people attending the surgery usually can’t walk that far.”

Jessica said the surgery would like the demolished car park to become active again or if some parking bays could put installed outside the surgery.

“We need to be heard; we have got to be listened to which is why we started the petition,” added Jessica.

“The road is quiet and quite wide so we asked the county council if we could have a couple of parking bays, but we weren’t listened to.”

More than 300 people have signed the petition which is well on the way to the surgery’s target of 500.

A spokesperson for the Kingfisher Shopping Centre said: “Following an in-depth structural assessment and evaluation of Car Park 7, including health and safety considerations, we concluded that the demolition of the car park was the only viable option.

“We understand that this has been disappointing for some residents.”

A spokesperson for Worcestershire County Council, said: “Any concerns the surgery has about parking should be raised with their local County Councillor.”