Visitor parking will be "significantly reduced" at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary as work begins on a £10m car park intended to solve parking woes at the hospital.

About 13,000 vehicles visit the Foresterhill infirmary every day, where there are just 2500 parking spaces.

The new car park, which has been paid for by oil tycoon Sir Ian Wood, will add 1000 new spaces and electric charging stations.

NHS Grampian has been forced to close the hospital's main visitor car park while work is under way, however, further reducing the number of spaces.

A spokeswoman said: "Work will shortly get under way on a new multi-storey car park for patients and visitors at the Foresterhill Health Campus.

"Funded by a generous donation from the Wood Foundation, the new facility will add around 1000 spaces and include charging points for electronic vehicles.

"This will necessitate the closure of the existing visitor car park on October 24.

"Visitor parking will be significantly reduced until the expected project completion date of July 2017.

"Given the existing pressure on car parking on the site visitors are encouraged to use alternatives such as public transport, parking off-site or arranging lifts to and from the campus."

Gary Mortimer, chairman of the Foresterhill Parking Project Board, said: "The cost of developing a facility like this could not be met from NHS budgets.

"We are incredibly grateful to the Wood Foundation for their generous donation."