Plans to cut staff parking at Kingston Hospital to create more parking spaces for patients and visitors has left hospital employees in turmoil, with some threatening to leave their jobs.

The proposals, due to be implemented early next month, follow 700 compaints from the public last year about the lack of parking spaces.

Hospital bosses are planning to introduce strict new criteria for staff parking permits, excluding anyone who lives within a 45-minute commute by public transport unless they are an “essential user”.

The plan would free up two car parks currently used by staff, creating 63 new pay and display spaces for the public, and altering the current ratio of three staff spaces to each space for members of the public.

One staff member, who did not want to be named, said: “The way they have gone about it is very bad.

"People are threatening to leave the hospital en masse.

“Most important we have a lot of nurses and midwives and staff who have got young kids going to school who have to do the school run.

"If they are not allowed to bring in their cars how are they supposed to balance family life with work?

"The hospital has refused to listen. Everyone – doctors, right down to porters are up in arms."

Last year a council working group recommended an increase in the ratio of vistor and patient parking at the hospital, and asked the hospital to consider a minimum distance criteria for new staff applying for permits.

Current chairman of the health scrutiny and overview panel Councillor Shiraz Mirza described the situation as difficult, and called for improvements to public transport to the hospital.

A spokesman for Kingston Hospital said: “The new policy has been through extensive consultation over the past six months, from smaller focus groups to four large open sessions.

"The policy was also presented to the unions, and their comments, along with those from staff and visitors, were taken into consideration.

"The car parking policy is part of an ongoing process to improve the parking facilities on site, particularly for patients, and the trust is developing other initiatives to further improve parking at the hospital."

The hospital plans hold out the possibility of replacing the current pay and display system with a pay on exit system to address patient anxiety and missed appointments, and long-term plans for a multi-storey car park.