Introduction
Project Centre provided an Options Scoping Report as part of a Car Park Strategy for the Tameside Hospital site on behalf of Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust.
The aims of the report were to:
- Support the Trust in identifying a range of options to alleviate parking issues ensuring effective use of existing facilities
- Determine the most suitable option or combination of options
- Support the funding case for the best option(s)
- Ensure the option(s) follow the best practice set out in the Health Technical Memorandum 07-03: Car Parking Management document
Project overview
Project Centre carried out an evidence-based approach due to the complexity and number of competing interests associated with the study. This approach consisted of benchmarking exercises, comprehensive site visit, stakeholder workshop, data analysis and option appraisal.
We compared and contrasted available information through the benchmarking exercise. In regards to the existing parking operations and approaches of the 6 other acute NHS Trusts in Greater Manchester.
During the comprehensive site visit, Project Centre surveyed all 20 car parks located on the Hospital grounds. This was to analyse quality, space and provision opportunities. The break-down of bays available consisted of:
- 284 bays for staff only
- 87 bays for visitors only
- 835 bays for staff/visitors
- 44 bays for staff/patient drop-off
Out of the 1,250 bays, 60 bays were for Blue Badge Holders. Project Centre also noted issues regarding outdated payment systems. This restricts the choice of payment method and negatively impact the user experience.
Staff parking permits
Project Centre reviewed the Staff Permit parking using information from the Client. Staff of the Trust wanting to park in the staff car parks must apply for and display a valid permit. Permit costs vary based on individual’s annual salary. The cost comes from their salary also.
Currently, there is a total of 2148 staff permits issued by the Trust for the use of 1163 parking bays. This equates to a permit to bay ratio of 1.8:1. Although high, this ratio in practice is likely to be a lot lower due to staff shift patterns. We expect this to reduce the demand at certain times throughout the day.
Stakeholder engagement
When conducting the site visit, it became noticeable that there are several safety and movement issues that are directly and indirectly caused by car parking. Numerous vehicles parked outside of defined parking bays across the grounds. Vehicles parking informally along kerbs and on the footway restricted drivers views at junctions.
Project Centre attended a stakeholder workshop with the Car Parking Strategy Group. By gathering information on issue of user experience at the Trust’s car parks we gained an insight into future improvements. Key findings from the stakeholder workshop were that visitors spend a lot of time trying to find available parking spaces across the site which can lead to them being late for appointments and people’s appointments can overrun or they need additional treatments which then causes them additional stress and anxiety as their allotted parking time may be expiring. In addition, there needs to be more work on communication for active travel.
The traditional face-to-face format of public consultation and engagement was impossible due to COVID. Instead, we used TEAMS for the Car Park Strategy Group. Project Centre gave a presentation detailing the current issues and opportunities. o allow the Group to provide their feedback.
Opportunities for parking improvements
Based on the findings from the site visit, benchmarking exercise and engagement process, Project Centre provided the Trust with a variety of opportunities which could be utilised to maximise parking provision and improve user experience.
Opportunities included providing additional parking spaces using vacant plots of land located around the Trust and to upgrade current ageing payment machines. Replacing cash payments with digital payments will save time and money as buying, emptying and maintaining cash parking machines is no longer cost efficient.
From the stakeholder workshop we learned that patients and visitors struggle to find free spaces. Project Centre recognised that there was an opportunity for vehicle detection sensors to be used. This makes finding a parking space a more manageable process by either advising of space availability through variable messaging signs (VMS), or using smart phone technology to allow users to find available parking spaces, advise of car park conditions and tariffs, and utilise contactless payment.
To help further the improvement of the car parks, Project Centre also notified the Trust of opportunities to review their permits, upgrade back-office systems and introduce EV charging points.
We used factors to appraise the opportunities.. This included capital cost, revenue, environmental impact, travel behaviour, safety, security and stakeholder approval. The opportunities were structured based on timescales of short (0-2 years), mid (2-5 years) and long (5+ years) terms to provide indications of time and costs associated with each option.
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