TOWN councillors are refusing to allow staff from Savernake Hospital to use The Common to help solve a parking crisis at Marlborough's new hospital even before it opens.

Patients from the Ailesbury geriatric ward, who have been looked after in Devizes Community Hospital for the past year, are due to be moved into the new hospital in early June.

The Kennet and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust, which is responsible for running the new hospital, is desperately seeking parking spaces around the town for staff.

The new hospital will open with 95 parking spaces the same number as previously available, according to the PCT. However the trust accepts that besides the 95 official spaces, there were previously half that many again which were unofficial spaces.

Staff have been alarmed to get

letters telling them they have to seek alternative parking in the town.

They have been advised to park in places suggested by the trust including on housing estates from where they will be picked up by a mini bus.

One place the PCT was suggesting was the overflow car park at Marlborough Golf Club. The grass overflow parking area is part of The Common that is controlled by the town council.

On Monday night the recreation and amenities committee discussed a letter from the golf club saying the PCT had asked if seven or eight hospital staff cars could use the club car park.

Golf club general manager John Sullivan wrote: "Seemingly they will be exceptionally short of parking spaces once the new development project is completed and are having to look at off-site parking and bussing the staff to and from the hospital in the morning and early evening."

Mr Sullivan said that before the golf club could respond it had to ask the town council for its reactions.

Coun Maurice Cooper said it was wrong to expect hospital workers to park in an unlit area on wet grass.

He said: "I think it's disgusting that someone from the trust has driven round the town trying to find somewhere where hospital staff can park."

Coun Cooper blamed what he called the trust's "own short sighted policy" of providing insufficient parking at the new hospital.

Coun David Parker said he did not see how a green transport plan could include people driving around the town looking for somewhere to park and then being bussed to the hospital.

The committee agreed to tell the golf club that it would not permit the hospital staff parking because of safety issues and the likelihood of damage to the grass.