PARKING

Information session

IntroductionsParking position paperGovernment parking levyPark & (St)rideQuestions & answers

History of parking system

• Regularisation for safety reasons (2003)

• Coincidence of increasing demand

• Constant dissatisfaction

Reasons for constant dissatisfaction

• Insufficient parking (15,000 students, 1,500+ staff)

• Inequity of system (staff v. students)

• Inadequate provision for visitors

• Clamping/appeals

• Socially undesirable responses (early arrival; loss of family-friendly possibilities)

• Galway City Council Development Plan limits (1,600 spaces)

• Currently c. 4,600 permits (“hunting ratio” 2.9:1)

• Cost per space €8,000 upwards• Inadequacy of public transport• Lack of other “mobility management”

solutions• Differing perceptions of equity

Why do problems persist?

How do we currently allocate spaces?

• Staff 706 43%• Students 95 6%• Shared 658 40%• Pay & Display 79 5%• [Miscellaneous 62 6%]

• Shared: students – two-thirds to 80%; staff – one-third to 20%

Solutions

• Mobility management solutions

• Car parking solutions

• Other possible partial solutions

Mobility management solutions

• Travel Pass Scheme

• Car pooling and car sharing

• Public transport (dissemination of information)

• Public transport (lobbying)

• Cycling and walking

Car parking solutions

• Central multi-storey (rejected: cost; use of central campus location; increased traffic)

• Outlying Park & Ride– Cost– Shuttle bus cost– Inconvenience

Management position

• Full support for Park & (St)ride solution

• Need for self-financing of shuttle bus system– Constraints on University finance– Many competing priorities– Value per space up to €900-€1,500 per

annum

• Charge a basis for incentivising alternative behaviours

Union position

• Staff are critical stakeholders• Opposed to concept of self-financing• Concept of charging not ruled out

-provided not compulsory and tightly prescribed -provided equity between staff and students maintained

• Reduce student places• Eliminate use of shared spaces• Allocate to give 50% of current shared spaces to students• Restrict students to use of Dangan

Students’ Union position

• Recognition of students as primary stakeholders• Strategic aim of student-centred University• Important to maintain equity of allocation

-parking important for those living at home at distance

-parking important for those on crèche runs• Students are 88% of population, have 7% of spaces• Evidence of usage of shared spaces is evidence of

need

Alternative self-financing methods/charging methods

• Increase in P&D income (number of spaces and/or increased charges)

• (Higher) charge for main/south campus

• (Lower) charge for Dangan/Corrib Village/north campus

• Tendered payment for limited guaranteed places

Government parking levy

• Within designated urban areas (not yet specified)

• Part of tax system

• Unaffected by charges by employer

• Normally €200 per annum

• Reduces by 50% when hunting ratio > 2:1

• Reductions for work-sharing, etc.

Issues

• No charge for students– Classification between students and staff– Equity of overall arrangement

• Designation problems– Employer/physical area

• Whole campus• Campus excluding Dangan/Dangan and Corrib

Village• South campus

– Exclusion of car-pool area

Park and (st)ride

• Favoured over multi-storey car park solution

• Delay in planning permission (An Bord Pleanála)

• Appropriate standards required

• Shuttle bus desirable

• Cost significant