PARKING in a Hereford street will be banned for 18 months due to building works, Herefordshire Council has said.

The council said from Monday (May 24), parking will be banned on a section of Stonebow Road, leading to Hereford County Hospital from the A465 Commercial Road.

The ban will be in force from 7am to 7pm for 18 months as work continues at The Stonebow Unit.

Hereford Times: The parking ban will apply to the area marked in red. Picture: Herefordshire Council/Balfour Beatty Living PlacesThe parking ban will apply to the area marked in red. Picture: Herefordshire Council/Balfour Beatty Living Places

Temporary buildings were put in place at Hereford hospital in February as part of a £26 million investment in mental health services across Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

Work started at Hereford's Stonebow unit, run by Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust, as outdated mental health dorms are set to be replaced by single en-suite rooms.

The work is part of a Government pledge to improve the safety, privacy and dignity of patients with mental illness.

Hereford Times: Refurbishment work has started at Hereford's Stonebow mental health unit. Picture: Mike Taylor Refurbishment work has started at Hereford's Stonebow mental health unit. Picture: Mike Taylor

The changes at the Stonebow unit should improve the overall care for inpatients, the Department of Health and Social Care said.

To mark World Mental Health Day in October 2020, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the trust would be among the first to benefit from the funding.

The trust was told it would get £26 million for the work, which will take between two and three years to complete.

Hereford Times: The temporary buildings were lifted into place at the Stonebow unit in February. Picture: Mike Taylor The temporary buildings were lifted into place at the Stonebow unit in February. Picture: Mike Taylor

Chief executive Sarah Dugan said at the time: "While the majority of our units provide modern, private facilities, improving the accommodation at Holt Ward, Athelon Ward and the Stonebow Unit has been a priority.

"Replacing the dormitories for private rooms will improve the individual care that can be given to patients, reducing the length of their stay in the facility and supporting their right to privacy and dignity while they are with us.

"It will also have benefits for patient safety, for example through better infection control and by reducing the risk of incidents involving patients or staff."