FRUSTRATED patients and visitors faced chaos after theywere forced to wait up to an hour to get in and out of Basildon Hospital’s car park because of roadworks.

Drivers sat in long queues as they tried to navigate their way out and on to the hospital site when roadworks in Nethermayne were started early.

The £3.4million roadworks to improve congestion and traffic flow and widen the access road to the hospital were started at 8pm on Tuesday, just 30 minutes after the end of a hospital shift change and a busy time for visitors.

Steven Coombes, 31, from South Ockendon, sat in his car at a standstill for forty minutes as he tried to get his wife Tanya, 27, to the emergency department as she is 36 weeks’ pregnant and was experiencing contractions.

Mr Coombes said: “It was a nightmare. We were obviously in a rush, but we just couldn't move. It took 40 minutes to get from the Nethermayne roundabout, and then we had to queue again to find a space in the car park.

“Luckily, Tanya was having false contractions, but all the stress didn't help.

“I’m going to be up the hospital quite a bit over the next few months, so I amworried.

“I understand they need to do the work, but it's very annoying.”

The widening scheme is expected to continue for three months.

It means four-way traffic lights were in place, and all vehicles coming in and out of the hospital grounds were using one lane.

The hospital has now asked Essex County Council to push work back until 9pm every day in a bid to reduce the chaos.

Cabbie Ralph Morgan, of Sandon Road, Pitsea, said: “It's going to be hell for at least three months.

“I get a lot of calls to the hospital.

It’s going to be a nightmare, but there is one way in and one way out, so there isn't an alternative.

“The problem is fares will go up if we’re stuck in traffic, so no doubt passengers will complain.

Some will probably end up getting out and walking.”

Two lanes in both directions will be created at the roundabout, and the exit road from the multi-storey car park will also be widened to two lanes.

Kerry Smith, Independent councillor for Nethermayne ward, thinks the hospital should trial a park and ride scheme at the empty car park opposite the BP garage, at the Roundacre roundabout, while the work is under way.

He said: “The county council and the hospital have spent money on traffic lights and CCTV, so surely this should be playing its part now to make sure these problems aren't arising?

“Something has to be done to improve the flow of traffic in and out of the hospital, so the work is a necessity of sorts.

“A park and ride could be a solution, especially as there aren’t enough parking spaces anyway.”

Work to start later in bid to avoid chaos

CONTRACTORS will alter their working hours in the wake of complaints about traffic chaos at the hospital.

The widening project is the final phase of the improvement scheme along Nethermayne.

It was designed to reduce congestion and increase accessibility.

An additional lane has been built for vehicles travelling between the hospital roundabout and the junction with Ashdon Way, with two lanes in both directions under the railway bridge to the junction with Roundacre roundabout.

In addition, the junction at Ashdon Way has been upgraded.

A hospital spokesman told teh Echo: “The work to widen the access road and car park exit at the hospital is being carried out overnight to minimise disruption for our patients and staff.

"On Tuesday night, work began about half an hour after the end of a shift, and this is thought to have caused the congestion.

“The hospital trust discussed this issue with Essex County Council, and it has agreed its contractors will begin work an hour later to avoid this happening again.”