When I received a call telling me my mother-in-law had been admitted to hospital I drove to Macclesfield General immediately.

I was stressed, anxious and desperate to know how she was.

I expected to find provision for visitor parking – after all, it was a hospital. I drove round and round looking for a space but there was simply none to be found.

I traversed the clogged streets with the same negative result. If my blood pressure had been any higher I’d have become a patient myself.

Finally, I found a spot half a mile away and jogged back to the hospital where I discovered any visitor fortunate enough to find a parking space must pay £2. I know the hospital sold off land to pay debts, but you can only do that once. You can’t get the land back when you need it and you can’t sell it again.

How, in God’s name, developers ever gained planning permission knowing the traffic chaos around the hospital is beyond comprehension. It’s a nightmare for personnel and another anxiety for families visiting sick relatives.

NB: Hospital staff have been wonderful and my mum-in-law is in good hands.

The views on this page are Vic Barlow's and not necessarily those of the Express