Dr Bruno Holthof, chief executive of Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trusts, said yesterday the vision was part of a 'masterplan' being drawn up for sites in Headington.

Two would be at the John Radcliffe Hospital, two at the Churchill Hospital and one at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre.

In an online poll 89 per cent of readers voted in favour of multi-storey car parks as a means of dealing with ongoing traffic problems at the Headington sites.

Speaking at a meeting of Oxfordshire Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee yesterday, Dr Holthof said: "Parking is a big issue for patients and staff. When you drive to one of our sites right now it is organised very inefficiently. Ideally we would like more [spaces] but at least we will organise the existing parking."

It comes after years of patient complaints about over-subscribed hospital car parks in Headington, which are regularly full with waits of up to an hour to find a space.

Dr Holthof said the masterplan is being developed alongside Oxford University, Oxford Brookes University and Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust.

Brookes has since confirmed it is being consulted on the plan but is not involved in itsactual development.

Dr Holthof added: "It is now in the final stage and we are engaging with the city, district and county councils on how we can it a reality."

The trust is also looking at whether a park and ride facility could be built for staff outside the Oxford ring road.

Current rules set out by Oxford City Council state there should be no overall increase in private car parking spaces in busy areas such as Headington.

Alex Hollingsworth, board member for planning and regulatory services, has said additional parking would create more traffic on 'already congested' streets.

Dr Holthof said: "We would like to ask again for planning permission for multi-storey car parks and we have specific potential ideas for where they could be located."

Members of the Keep Our NHS Public group had gathered to demonstrate outside County Hall and sat in on the day-long meeting.

Chairman Ken Williamson said: "My first reaction was that because of the vagaries of planning I would be surprised if they get permission for all of that.

"On the other hand, what might be reasonable would be using the new approach from the Northern Bypass to have a park and ride for patients and staff."

The revelation came as health representatives were quizzed by HOSC on 'transformation' plans for Oxfordshire's NHS services, phase one of which is being consulted on.

Parking plans cannot progress until the consultation is completely finished, which will not take place until the end of 2017 at the earliest.

Dr Williamson said that in the interim period extra measures could be laid on by OUH to deal with the volume of traffic.

He said: "Even those in Oxford need to use public transport wherever possible. There needs to be more buses, rather like a dial-a-ride, that can take people to the JR."

The over-arching consultation includes plans to move stroke services and some critical care at the JR, while shifting up to 90,000 outpatient and day cases to the Horton General Hospital in Banbury, which could mean 350 fewer people from North Oxfordshire parking in Oxford every day for treatment.

It is also hoped that some follow-up appointments could be carried out digitally through doctors video-conferencing with patients, to prevent the need for them to drive in.

So far up to £15m in capital funding is being made available to develop the Horton over four years but no plans for car parking have yet been released.

Keith Strangwood, chairman of the Keep the Horton General group, said: "This masterplan is a fantastic idea but it has been going on for years.

"If the city council let them build the car park to relieve things it would help in Banbury, but with another 350 cars going to the Horton, where are they going to park?"