Results of Alan Whitehead MP's survey of residents' parking around Southampton General Hospital
January 2006
Alan Whitehead has published results of an extensive survey of local residents regarding parking issues around Southampton General Hospital. The survey was in response to number of letters from residents complaining of parking problems in the area.
"The huge response shows parking levels around the General Hospital area are still a matter of great concern - even impacting on residents living beyond the existing parking zone. The survey has highlighted several problems which need addressing and I will press the NHS Trust and city council to take action where appropriate."
Summary and suggested action
1) The high level of parking around the General Hospital clearly impacts on residents within and outside the Coxford Residents' Parking Scheme. This will continue if left ignored. There is a general view from local residents that the Hospital should be more responsible for parking as it expands.
2) A number or residents outside the Residents' Parking Scheme have called for the scheme to be extended to their roads because of overspill problems from staff and visitors to the Hospital. Roads currently not covered by the scheme, where we have had calls for its extension, should be further consulted with a view to extending the scheme.
3) The large number of complaints particularly about parking around Aldermoor Health Centre shows this problem needs addressing as soon as possible.
4) Similarly, the issue disabled drivers choosing to park outside the Hospital needs urgently resolving. The number of concerns over 'accidents waiting to happen' suggests parking shouldn't be allowed in certain hazardous areas near to the Hospital.
5) Suggestions for time changes to the Residents' Parking Scheme have been made - both in terms of extending the area of the one hour permitted parking limit and the overall times the scheme - but there are no obvious conclusions from our survey. In future, the scheme may need to be extended to include weekends and evenings but more research has to be done before any timing changes were made.
6) A park and ride scheme should be investigated as a longer term answer to reducing parking problems. A number of sites have been suggested by residents and should be investigated by the NHS Trust and Council. Sites for smaller car parks have also been suggested.
7) The University NHS Trust and Council have taken measures - most obviously the Resident's Parking Scheme - which despite highlighted faults, generally works in protecting residents' ability to park near their homes.
8) It might be logical for the Hospital and Residents' Parking Scheme to come more into line with each other. For example, residents have reported empty Hospital car parks at weekends with staff choosing instead to park on nearby streets. It might therefore be an idea to change or stop Hospital parking charges at weekends.
9) There is anecdotal evidence of staff and visitors returning to their cars and moving them to a different street to get round the two hour permitted parking limit. This should be investigated with a view to changing the 'no return' to cover the whole zone rather than just the same street.
Background
In November 2005, Alan Whitehead MP sent a survey addressed to approximately 2,500 households in areas surrounding Southampton General Hospital. This included properties served by the Coxford Area Resident's Parking Scheme and those just which lie just outside the scheme. The survey was in response to number of letters from residents complaining of parking problems in the area. There were 225 replies.
The survey hoped to shed light on:
The extent of the parking problems
How effectively the parking scheme was working
Whether there were suggestions to improve or extend the scheme
Whether there were suggestions to improve parking generally
The Coxford Residents' Parking Scheme was introduced in the early 1990s after the Hospital introduced parking charges within their site. The scheme solved many of the parking problems in the immediate area of the General Hospital but did also result in over-spill problems in the surrounding area, so it was expanded to its present size a few years later.
With the Hospital's continued expansion, parking is again a problem. Staff, patient and visitor numbers to the hospital is increasing. Higher housing density, Houses in Multiple Occupancy and a general increase in car-ownership all contribute.
Within the Residents' Parking Scheme area, most properties have one free parking space, a number of visitor permits and the option of a second car permit at a cost of £50. At present the parking bays operate from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, and visitors may use them for a limited time without a permit. In most cases it is two hours, but it has been reduced to one hour in some roads nearest the Hospital. The Hospital has some staff and public parking but this is very limited and there is a charge to park in most cases.
Question 1.
How well do you think the Residents' Parking Scheme currently works?
Very well = 24 Well = 24 Poorly = 35 Very Poorly = 40 No Answer = 29
There were mixed feelings as to the overall effectiveness of the scheme. Some comments included remarks along the lines of "at present I am happy with the parking situation". One person said "I am not a car owner but I have noticed less congestion since the scheme has been in operation." No one within the Residents' Parking Zone, however unhappy with the scheme, suggested it should be abandoned.
Question 2.
Times - At present the parking bays operate from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, and visitors may use them for a limited time without a permit. In most cases it is two hours, but it has been reduced to one hour in some roads nearest the Hospital.
Have you any suggestions to alter the timing of the scheme?
Most people (111) didn't make any suggestions to changing the times of the scheme and 79 said there should be no changes.
8 people said the scheme should be one hour and no return but one person said this is not sufficient time for visitors. Another said the key was having no return to any part of the zone and not just the same street. Staff and visitors were reported to park for two hours come back and move cars to the next street. One resident said "short stays within the two hour limit by non-residents and their visitors cause most of the problems."
5 people said the scheme should discontinue times and introduce residents only parking with visitor permits.
4 people said the scheme should be two hours everywhere - "parking areas are usually vacant between 8am and 5pm". One person said two hours should be reintroduced where its now one hour. "One hour is ridiculous for patients with appointments." Another said "two hours are sufficient to prevent long-term hospital workers from parking."
One person said reduce the parking time to half an hour.
In terms of extending days of the scheme:
1 person thought extending the time to include Saturday mornings (8am-12pm).
7 people suggested all of Saturday.
8 others thought the scheme should run all week, particularly in roads close to the hospital.
Different general suggestions were made for extending hours which the scheme operates:
9-4pm
7.30am - 7.30pm
8am - 4pm
Evenings - 8 people thought the scheme should run later with 3 suggesting until 9pm.
Specific changes suggested
24 hour in Dale Road, end of Dale Valley Road - one hour time limit only.
3 people said Vine Road should be made 60 minutes (with one person saying 60 or 30 minutes).
Two people said Laundry Road should be one hour only.
Question 3.
Do you think the current area of the Coxford Area Residents' Parking Scheme should be extended to include new roads?
We asked if the parking scheme should be extended to include new roads. 85 people gave no answer and 46 others expressed no opinion. This is explained by the survey going both to residents where there is a scheme (who would be less likely to answer) and those who live just outside it.
Aldermoor Road - 13 replies said the scheme should be extended to Aldermoor Road, particularly by the shops. "We don't have a parking scheme in Aldermoor Road. We tried but the council didn't want to."
"Stop all parking in Coxford Road from Lordshill Way up to Aldermoor Avenue and make Aldermoor Close restricted parking.".
9 people said Coxford Road especially by the health centre, needed restrictions
Longleat Gardens - "I would like to see parking restrictions by Longleat Gardens / Aldermoor Road (in the slip road). This is filled by hospital staff parking all day."
"The junction with Aldermoor Road and Longleat Gardens is absolutely packed with hospital cars, it's a disgrace."
Jex Blake Close - "Jex Blake Close is regarded by many hospital visitors as a convenient location to park as there are no parking restrictions in force. Extend scheme." 4 replies called for this
Dunkirk Road - 2 people called for restrictions. "Dunkirk Road has problems with Hospital and Sports Centre parking."
Seymour Road. - 5 people called for restrictions.
Lyburn Close - "Although the first four houses have residents' parking, the Highways Dept will do nothing for us in the last four houses because they say that this part of the road has not been adopted so we always get Hospital cars."
Vinery Road, St James Park Road and Vinery Gardens
Approximately 9 people calls to extend the scheme to Vinery Road, St James Park Road and Vinery Gardens and asking it was not included previously. "I hope you will be able to help the residents of Vinery Gardens and Road and St James Road to obtain a parking scheme for our area."
One resident of Vinery Gardens did oppose extending the scheme in the area. "In Vinery Gardens, myself and other residents do not feel the need for restrictions in our street and would reject any proposals. Our road is mainly clear of traffic during the day."
But another resident sent photographs showing these roads full with parked cars and traffic.
Medina Road
Preshaw Close - numbers 1-7 don't have residents' parking.
Malwood Avenue
Shalden Close
Olive Road - 7 people called for restrictions
"Why can't we have a permit parking as you have for the bottom of Olive Road. We were promised this."
Palm Road - 4 people called for parking restrictions.
"Yellow lines in Palm Road as it's such a problem for buses."
Warren Avenue and Warren Crescent - three people thought a scheme is needed.
7 people said they didn't want an extension.
Question 4.
How well do you think the Resident's Parking Scheme is currently enforced?
Of the replies, 18 people thought the scheme was enforced very well, 74 thought it was well enforced, 56 thought it was poorly enforced and 35 thought it was very poorly enforced. 25 didn't answer.
"A little sanity should prevail as my husband had two tickets once the pass ran out."
"Give residents right to enforce parking."
"The Hospital should take more responsibility."
"Enforced very poorly, residents' tickets given to hospital staff. Number given to the council but no action taken."
"I always see traffic wardens checking the cars"
"More patrols needed especially in Warren Avenue, Jesamine Road and Laundry Road."
- Two other replies mentioned that Warren Avenue was not well patrolled.
Question 5.
Have you any other suggestions to improve the parking situation in the Coxford area?
The Hospital's existing parking
There were a number of calls for the Hospital to change its policy to charging within the hospital. These included suggestions to reduce charges, end charges at weekends, or altogether.
"Since the hospital has been charging for parking, residents get problems with staff parking at weekends. This is most annoying as the staff car park is empty at weekends. Staff should be able to use the car park for free in the evening or at weekends."
Many residents also suggest the Hospital could do more to increase its own parking spaces. There were lots of calls for a multi storey car park to be built and adding on levels to existing car parks. One person suggested a site for a purpose-built car park "on the ground behind the Princess Anne Hospital".
One person even suggested limiting visiting times to patients.
Disabled parking
More than 30 people raised their concerns over disabled badge holders parking near the Hospital on double yellow lines, particularly in Springford Road, Coxford Road and Tremona Road.
Descriptions included an "accident waiting to happen", "more hazardous to other road users" and "very dangerous" with many people blaming the hospital for introducing charges for disabled badge holders.
People asked this to be discussed with the General Hospital and suggested solutions included getting the hospital to stop charging for disabled visitors, and putting in double red lines to stop parking altogether in the dangerous areas.
Aldermoor Health Centre / One Stop
Another area to suffer from serious congestion and parking problems (including disabled badge holders parking) was the area around Aldermoor Health Centre and the 'One Stop' shop. 15 people complained of parking difficulties here.
"Outside Aldermoor health centre, cars block the dropped kerb, making access impossible for prams or wheelchairs. You find the surgery car park full with hospital workers. The local bus has problems with getting through. There seems a need for double yellow lines."
A number of other people also called for double-yellow lines or restrictions.
Laundry Road
Concerns over Laundry Road (just to the south of the hospital) being a 'rat-run'. Suggestions that it should be one way, have speed restrictions speed humps. Calls for the permitted time to be one hour not two hours, and opposition to newly-built flats having residents' permits.
Dale Valley Road
A slightly separate issue raised by a number of people was the problem of speeding on Dale Valley Road.
"A more important issue that needs addressing is the urgent need for traffic calming measures on Dale Valley Road. The recent resurfacing has made the road akin to a racetrack - many drivers do not adhere to the 30mph limit."
"I believe the council gave notice that they were doing more double yellow lines and two hour parking but we've seen no action yet (Dale Valley Road). With the construction traffic as well as buses, it is hideous here. Reducing those who park all day in the area would really help."
Norham Avenue
"Norham Avenue has become a rat-run esp. HGVs, lorries and cars - freedom from traffic lights. Solutions could be weight restrictions or articulated restrictions."
Drop kerb
A number of people suggested that they would like to put in a drop kerb "which would mean less car space" but that it was currently too expensive. Possibility of an incentive to get the resident's car off the road.
Suggestions for new car park spaces
Some residents suggested possible places for more parking spaces. They included:
"Turn the waste land in Palm Road into a car park for the hospital."
"On Aldermoor Road, cut back into the green to make bays deep enough for cars to park their nose in to leave road clear for moving traffic."
"I know some residents allow their drives to be used by Hospital workers during the day, so maybe this could be looked into with the promise of a reward."
"Possible piece of land at Shalden Close could be made into a car park."
"Site of old Alder's furnishing store should be an overspill car park for the Hospital."
"On Coxford Road, remove the bushes and make more diagonal parking."
"Why don't you just build more parking in waste grounds eg. the field in Greywell Avenue."
Birch Close - "there is not enough parking for residents, currently approx 11 spaces for 44 flats." Some residents believe the space surrounding each flat would be best used for parking.
Park and ride
Eleven people suggested a park and ride scheme should be introduced.
"The staff shuttle to hospital from Sainsbury's is great - but why not try obtaining land - maybe at Nursling Industrial Estate and provide a shuttle service for visitors?"
Suggestions for where a park and ride could be included
Near the B&Q warehouse - on the site of the boat show car park.
Car boot sale area opposite Sainsbury's Lordshill.
Develop car parking or extend the scheme in conjunction with Sainsbury's Lordshill.
Nursling Industrial Estate.
Part of the Ordnance Survey site when it moves.
Public transport
There were a number of calls to improve public transport generally. A couple of suggestions to the bus service included "a circular free route from Hill Lane to Winchester Road" and "a bus lay-by at the hospital entrance in Tremona Road to improve traffic flow."
Cost of additional permits
15 people complained about the charge for a second permit.
"The residents' parking scheme seems to work well, although I think most residents are upset about the £50 for additional permits."
Visitor permits
Two replies mentioned the problem of abuse of visitor permits.