PEOPLE living near Queen's Park Hospital today hit out at health chiefs, claiming the hospital's multi-million pound expansion was causing them parking nightmares.

Blackburn with Darwen Council has pledged to investigate the problem, after scores of complaints.

A petition signed by 49 people living in nearby Old Bank Lane has been handed to the council.

It calls for parking restrictions to be introduced and has prompted the investigation by town hall officers.

Residents claim hospital visitors are parking in the streets, instead of paying for pay and display parking. They also say that some Queen's Park Hospital staff, who also have to pay for parking, leave their cars outside their homes, as well as people using nearby fast food outlets.

According to a report to the council's planning committee, vehicles parked in Old Bank Lane cause safety and access problems from 7am to 8pm.

The report adds that three fast food outlets and the expansion of the hospital has brought extra traffic to the area.

And it says minor accidents have taken place in the last few weeks.

Tom Nightingale, 74, has lived in Old Bank Lane for more than 20 years and signed the petition.

He said: "The traffic can be terrible with cars parked on both sides of the pavement. Sometimes lorries can't get through."

Neighbour Margaret Hopper agreed. She said: "It has got a lot worse after the hospital expanded."

But East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust has denied the residents' claims and said Queen's Park Hospital had plenty of cheap parking spaces - and 120 more than when work on the site started.

A spokesman for the hospital said: "We have no evidence to suggest that parking problems in Old Bank Lane are related to the Queen's Park development.

"There is good parking provision on the Queen's Park Hospital site for staff and visitors and an additional 120 parking spaces were made available in February.

"There is always spare capacity on another car park, which is situated conveniently behind the new main entrance.

"In addition to this, the contractors working on the site have their own car park and restaurant, so it is unlikely that they would be parking on Old Bank Lane. Councillors wil be given an update on the investigation into the residents' claims at a meeting later in the year.