DRIVERS caught up in traffic chaos at the Great Western Hospital couldn't believe their eyes as an ambulance with its blue lights flashing and its siren sounding remained stuck for five minutes unable to leave the hospital grounds.

The incident on Thursday morning was seen by a member of staff who told the Swindon Advertiser they had been stuck in the same queue.

Visitors and staff have been complaining for several weeks of long delays as they try to get in and out of the hospital car parks.

“It’s getting worse. Someone’s really going to suffer,” said the staff member who called in while they were sitting in the stationary traffic.

“I’ve been queuing here for an hour,” she said.

The caller said the ambulance at first was crawling along in the queue of traffic, but then it seemed an emergency call must have come in because it put on its blue lights and sirens and overtook two cars. But then it could not get any further.

She said some drivers had managed to get out of the way by going up onto the grass, but when it tried to pass a bus coming the other way, there was nowhere for it to go.

“It was there a good five minutes,” said the hospital staff member.

“In the end the traffic moved a little.”

“The staff car park is full up by 9am. All the staff are being diverted to the north car park, which is public. It is getting ridiculous.”

Staff were paying £1.50 a day to park but there isn't enough room for them.

“They have cut the bus services, which is restricting staff anyway,” said the caller.

At times delays have been so bad that Thamesdown Transport has had to cancel services. Patients have complained of missed appointments and both visitors and patients have found themselves queuing down the A419.

A spokesman for the Great Western Hospital said: “It is rare for ambulances to become stuck when leaving the Great Western Hospital as teams are in constant contact with the drivers to advise them of the quickest route away from the hospital, which is often to travel anti-clockwise past the Brunel Treatment Centre.

“Our parking attendants will also work with other motorists to help emergency vehicles leave the site as quickly as possible.

“We also have a dedicated ambulance entrance on the A419 slip road, which we encourage all arriving emergency vehicles to use at busy times.

“Work is now happening to expand our staff car park and we are hopeful that when the new spaces become available later this year that staff will find it easier to park.”