Parking at two major hospitals should become easier and congestion on surrounding routes reduced as new transport measures are brought in.

Staff and visitors to both Maidstone Hospital and the Tunbridge Wells Hospital at Pembury often struggle to find a parking place at peak times.

But as of January 1, the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, which runs both hospitals, is introducing a free park-and-ride service for patients, visitors and staff.

It will run from Monday to Friday, between 6.40am and 9pm.

In Maidstone, the trust will make use of the old council park-and-ride site in London Road.

The free shuttle bus will take around 10 minutes to reach the hospital, travelling through the new busgate on the Hermitage Park estate.

The Tunbridge Wells Hospital park-and-ride site will be at Knight’s Park. The free shuttle bus trip will take around five minutes.

Free parking at both hospitals will continue for a number of patients and visitors including Blue Badge holders, cancer and renal patients, and parents of babies in the neonatal unit.

Full details of the free service will be shared on the trust’s website soon, including bus timetables and maps of the parking areas.

A spokesman for Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust said: “Our new park-and-ride service will provide a free and more sustainable way for patients, visitors and staff to travel to and from our hospitals.

“The park-and-ride sites are near both hospitals and the regular shuttle buses will offer a convenient and free parking option for people.

“The trust is providing care for a growing number of patients and the park-and-ride scheme will also create additional parking capacity away from our busy hospital sites.”

The news has been welcomed by Cllr Stan Forecast (Con) who represents Maidstone’s Palace Wood Ward.

He said he had learned of the proposals at a meeting last week of hospital bosses, council leaders and other stakeholders to discuss what could be done to ease the traffic on the increasingly congested Hermitage Lane in Maidstone, where Maidstone Hospital sits.

Besides the new park-and-ride, other measures are in the pipeline.

Train company Southeastern is making a capital bid for improved lighting at nearby Barming Station as well as improved signage to map routes to the hospital for commuters.

There will also be additional evening train services stopping at Barming from May next year, when the half-hourly commuter services between London Victoria and Maidstone East will stop there - in both directions - between 4pm and 8pm.

And KCC has put together designs for a new controlled pedestrian crossing on Hermitage Lane, to enable residents from the Giddyhorn Lane residential area easier pedestrian access to the West Kent Community Diagnostic Centre and to the businesses at Hermitage Court.

Cllr Forecast said: “There will need to be improved lighting throughout Giddyhorn Lane to give people the choice to walk or cycle safely and in comfort.”

“But,” he added: "Together, these measures are great news for residents and hopefully a game changer.

“Congestion on Hermitage Lane is having an adverse impact on many people’s daily life and this new shuttle service puts purpose back to the old park-and-ride site, preventing any speculative development plans while boosting accessibility to the hospital for patients and staff.

“I am hopeful that together these measures will help address congestion on Hermitage Lane.”

It is expected that the hospital shuttle buses will run every half hour.