University challenges Glasgow parking review
Published: 26 March 2014
The University of Glasgow has written to Glasgow City Council seeking to work with them on any planned changes to the parking regime in the West End of the city.
The University of Glasgow has written to Glasgow City Council seeking to work with them on any planned changes to the parking regime in the West End of the city. It follows the Council's recent move to propose new parking regimes for residents and casual users in a large area of the West End of Glasgow, including Byres Road, Dumbarton Road, Dowanhill, Yorkhill and Partick.
The Council is running a series of consultations before proceeding with plans. Typical proposals are for a cut to a three hour maximum stay for "casual" visitors with charges of 20 pence for the first 30 minutes and 20 pence for every 10 minutes thereafter.
The University's message to the Council said it had a strong interest in the proposals since - in the case of the Hillhead zone - the University manages and controls parking on various locations marked on the plan issued for consultation. It was therefore imperative that the University should be included in further discussion on the proposals to alter traffic management in this area of the City as we seek to align our future plans for campus development.
"Any alterations or changes to on street parking in and around the University Campus must recognise the University’s future plans therefore we ask that we engage in further discussion on the detail of your current Traffic Management and Parking Controls proposals. We suggest this discussion is not only to limited to the Hillhead Area but also the proposed schemes for neighbouring areas as these too will have significant implications for both staff and students of the University." University message to Council
The University is already engaging in dialogue with Glasgow City Council in relation to future development plans and it argued that it would be in everyone’s interest to continue this liaison as we move into a more detailed strategic planning phase.
The University is currently in the early stages of bringing forward significant redevelopment plans for the whole of its Gilmorehill Campus following acquisition of the Western Infirmary hospital site.
Once the hospital has vacated the Western site the University intends to redevelop its campus. The process of designing the changes are on-going and have involved a series of staff, student and public engagements in the West End. THe development process is likely to mean the following:
- A review of the current University of Glasgow Strategic Travel Plan including a review of the University Campus Parking Strategy
- A review of the Carbon Management Plan
- Production of a new Estates Strategy including a Gilmorehill Campus Development Framework.
All this will have a considerable impact on physical aspects of the campus including the public and private roads and footpaths network. Recently the waiting list for the University's own on-campus parking permit scheme had to be suspended. This was because some parking spaces are likely to be surrendered during the major infrastrucutre works to install a Combined Heat and Power district heating scheme and the average waiting time for permits is well over a year.
At the moment there are 1,300 parking permit holders. The permits cost £200 per year. There are 750 parking spaces available on the Gilmorehill Campus in total; about 400 of them in the immediate area of the Main Building.
First published: 26 March 2014
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