PRELIMINARY work on Redland Hospital's long-awaited $50 million, five-level car park has started.
A multi-level park to be built on the north-west corner of the campus will significantly boost capacity for patients, visitors and staff when it opens next year.
It puts an end to years of campaigning from frustrated locals and will boast 713 parks, bringing the number of spaces at the hospital to 1162.
Oodegeroo MP Mark Robinson said residents had been long-suffering, having to park and walk long distances from the hospital.
Plans for the car park were announced in June last year when former Health Minister Steven Miles visited the hospital ahead of the October elections.
The car park will be behind the existing hospital buildings on a portion used by staff.
In January shortlisted companies were invited to tender for the project after an open market expression of interest process was held.
A Metro South Health spokesperson said to provide parking for staff while construction was underway on the multi-level car park, two interim staff car parks had been set up for 370 car parks and 27 motorcycle bays for staff.
The temporary car park would not alleviate parking congestion at the hospital as there was no change to patient and visitor car parking during construction.
Redland MP Kim Richards and Capalaba MP Don Brown attended a traditional Quandamooka smoking ceremony at the site on Friday.
Mr Brown said construction would start soon.
Oodgeroo MP Mark Robinson said it was critical that all of the promised infrastructure be fast-tracked, including the multi-level carpark.
"It took far too long for the Palaszczuk government to finally partner with the LNP Morrison government, but now that the state has promised these services and facilities they must be delivered in a timely way.
"I continue to call for the fast-tracking of the upgrade of Redland Hospital - the ICU, beds, car parking and more - along with putting a stop to the very high levels of ambulance ramping," he said.
Health Minister Yvette D'Ath said Queensland Ambulance Service did not bypass hospitals.
"Paramedics transport patients to the most clinically appropriate hospital. When a triage Category 1 patient who is our most critically sick and injured, arrives at the Redland Hospital Emergency Department, they are seen within two minutes 100 per cent of the time," she said.
