MAJOR changes to Airedale General Hospital’s grounds will see a new bus turnaround, more disabled parking and extra dropping-off points.

Regular buses from Keighley, Skipton, Silsden and Ilkley are likely to be rerouted to enable patients and visitors to travel direct to the Steeton hospital.

Passengers will be dropped off outside the doors of the outpatients’ department as part of plans due to be carried out by the end of this year.

Cycling facilities will be improved, more patients and visitors can park nearer the hospital, and people travelling by taxi or having a lift will be dropped nearer the entrances.

Buses entering the hospital grounds currently have to travel all the way round the complex on a one-way road at low speed, adding several minutes to journey times.

The Keighley-Burnley bus regularly calls at the hospital but most passengers on the 66 Keighley-Skipton bus have to walk into the grounds from the top of the hill on Skipton Road.

Bus company Transdev has decided against routing all its 762 Keighley-Silsden-Ilkley buses via the hospital because most passengers wanted a quicker service.

The changes were revealed by David Moss, interim deputy director of strategy, business development, estates and facilities at Airedale NHS Foundation Trust.

He spoke after bus chiefs spoke to Bradford Councillor Adrian Naylor (Ind, Craven) of their hope to re-route the Keighley-Ilkley bus to Airedale if hospital chiefs could improve the speed of turnarounds.

Mr Moss said: “We are very keen to improve public transport and accessibility to Airedale Hospital and it’s one of our top priorities for 2016.”

“Our aim is to have a truly sustainable travel plan that supports our local community however they choose to get to the hospital.

“By the end of the year we plan to have a terminus area at the hospital which will enable more buses to come onto the site without needing to go around the perimeter road to exit.

“This should reduce the time added to journeys for passengers not getting off at the hospital and also improve access for patients and visitors coming to hospital as they will be dropped off in the grounds.”

Mr Moss said the trust was also planning to increase the choice of other transport options for patients and visitors.”

New disabled parking spaces are likely to be created next to the hospital's main entrance, on the site of a current staff car park.