A Western NSW Local Health District spokeswoman said planning work was underway on the two sites at the hospital where an extra 160 parking spots would be built.

“Both sites require extensive assessment before plans can be finalised,” she said.

“These include geotechnical, engineering and heritage considerations.

“This work is underway as has been previously indicated, if the appropriate planning is completed, it is expected that work will be underway in the early 2018.”

However last November then Health Minister Jillian Skinner said the first 77 spots would be available for use in 2017 with work on the remaining 83 spots to start mid-2017.

Member for Orange Phil Donato has called on the coalition to honour their election promises.

“It is high time that [deputy premier John Barilaro] started honouring the promises his parties made last October and November,” he said.

“Parking at the hospital has been at crisis point since 2011.”

Mr Donato said when Mr Barilaro, and parliamentary secretary for Western NSW, Rick Colless, was in Orange last week there was no mention of funding for the hospital car park.

“During the byelection last November, the Minister for Health, at the time, Jillian Skinner announced $1 million to upgrade the car park.

“Yet in the 2017 budget the coalition announced funding to extend parking spaces at Nepean, St George, Campbelltown, Hornsby and Shoalhaven hospitals but nothing for Orange.

“We are now in the second half of 2017 and no ground has been turned.”

Mr Donato said he visited the hospital this week and saw staff, patients and visitors having to park all over the area including along Forest Road because the hospital car parks were full.

“There must have been 100 cars parked on the side of the road,” he said.

EDITORIAL: Build it and they will come … but where will they park