Patients, hospital staff and local businesses are struggling with the consequences of having no bus service to Sulis Hospital, prompting a joint call for action from Anna Sabine MP, Cllr Karen Walker and hospital leaders.
Anna Sabine, MP for Frome and East Somerset, has joined local councillors, Sulis Hospital and employers at Bath Business Park in urging the region’s transport body, West of England Combined Authority (WECA), to find a way to restore public transport links to the hospital site.
The group say that the lack of a bus service is making it harder for some patients to attend NHS appointments,adding to pressure on an already stretched car park and creating difficulties for businesses trying to recruit and grow.
Sulis Hospital, located at Bath Business Park in Peasedown St John, has been part of the Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust since 2021. The hospital provides important diagnostic and surgical services for NHS patients across the region, helping to ease pressure on the main RUH site.
But despite the hospital’s growth and the increasing number of people relying on its services, there has beenno bus service to the business park for many years.
For patients who cannot drive and have limited access to lifts or other transport, getting to an appointment can be a significant challenge. The group says this is particularly concerning given the hospital’s role of delivering NHS care to people across the wider region, including communities along the Bath and Somer Valley corridor.
Growing pressure on parking
The scale of the problem is reflected in the hospital’s latest figures.
Over the past 12 months, Sulis Hospital has seen around 110,000 patient visits, each adding to demand for parking.Of these, 37,265 were for diagnostic appointments lasting less than an hour, creating a steady flow of patient arriving and leaving throughout the day.
The hospital’s workforce has also grown substantially. Staff numbers have more than doubled in three years, risingfrom 240 to more than 500.
Without a bus service, most patients and staff have little choice but to travel by car. This has put increasing pressure on parking at Bath Business Park and raised concerns about vehicles spilling into nearby residential streets, where parking restrictions are in place.
Sulis have paid for additional parking to help manage demand, but that temporary provision is due to end. The hospital has also invested in car-sharing initiatives and electric bike schemes, but says these measures cannot provide a practical alternative for everyone.
Local businesses are feeling the impact too.
Employers across Bath Business Park say the lack of public transport is making it harder to attract staff, particularly younger people and those who do not drive. Limited parking is also creating a barrier to expansion for businesses already operating on the site.
With employers facing recruitment challenges and local businesses looking for opportunities to grow, the groupbelieves a reliable bus connection would benefit the wider local economy as well as patients and hospital staff.
Anna Sabine MP said:
“I’ve heard from constituents who are struggling to get to NHS appointments because there’s no bus service toSulis Hospital, leaving those without a car reliant on lifts or expensive taxis to access the care they need.
“WECA has ambitions to improve skills and employment across the region, but without basic public transport, thoseambitions will be much harder to achieve.
“I want WECA to take another look at the funding and work with us to find a realistic solution. People should not have to rely on lifts or taxis to access healthcare.”
Simon Milner, Hospital Director at Sulis Hospital said:
“We see first-hand how important our services are to patients, many of whom need to attend appointments for tests, investigations or surgery. Getting to the hospital should not be an additional obstacle to receiving care.
“We’ve done what we can to manage the growing demand for parking, including securing additional spaces and supportingalternatives such as car-sharing and electric bikes. But these measures have their limits and they won’t work for everyone.
“A bus service would give patients and staff another way to reach the hospital and would also benefit the many other employers based at Bath Business Park. We would welcome the opportunity to work with WECA and local representatives to find a solution.”
Cllr Karen Walker, B&NES Independent Councillor for Peasedown St John, said:
“Over the last two-and-a-half years Sulis Hospital has taken an incredible 20,000 people off the NHS’ waiting lists, drastically reducing the pressures felt by neighbouring hospitals like the RUH in Bath.
As well as being an NHS partner, they’re also investing money in local NHS services and provision. Anyone who is an NHS patient in England has the right to choose where they receive their hospital care. This includes the option to have treatment at Sulis Hospital.
Without a regular and reliable bus service though to the hospital, people’s access to treatment becomes a lot more difficult. It’s essential that a bus service is implemented as soon as possible so their services can be made available to everyone who needs them.”
Bernie Marden, Chief Medical Officer at BSW ICB commented:
“Making sure people can get to the healthcare they need is an important part of delivering fair and accessible NHS care. For some patients, particularly those who cannot drive or rely on others for lifts, the lack of a direct bus service can make attending an appointment much more difficult.
“Sulis Hospital plays an important role in providing NHS services and helping patients get the tests and treatment they need. Reliable public transport links would make it easier for these people to access those services and would benefit the wider community too.
“We need to look at transport and healthcare together and work with local partners to find a practical, long-termsolution.”
Call for WECA (West of England Combined Authority) to act
Anna Sabine, local councillors, Sulis Hospital and Bath Business Park employers are calling on WECA to reconsiderits transport funding priorities and work with local partners to restore a service that meets the needs of the local community.
The group says better public transport would help patients access NHS care, ease pressure on parking and give local people more opportunities to work at Bath Business Park.
With patient numbers and employment continuing to grow, they argue that the case for a bus service is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.
