MyGlasgow News

1.       Is parking increasing £40 each month or £40 overall to £250?

The £40 increase is an annual increase, bringing the annual cost of a permit at Gilmorehill and Tay House to £250. This is equivalent to £20.83 per month.  Permit costs at Garscube are not being increased at this time.

2.       New car parking charges come into effect on 1 October 2017, but the existing scheme will close in 31 March 2018.  What are the cost implications for existing permit holders?

As current permit holders pay monthly through salary deduction, the monthly fee will increase from £17.50 to £20.83. This will affect Gilmorehill and Tay House permit holders only. 

3.       How much notice will be given to staff that are going to lose their permits under the new scheme?

The existing permit scheme will be closed on 31 March 2018.  The application round for the new scheme will open in January 2018, and we hope to be in a position to inform all applicants about whether their application has been successful by the end of February.  The new scheme will be launched on 1 April 2018.

4.       When will staff be notified that the scheme is up and running?  When will I be able to apply for a permit? Can someone from BHF research centre apply for a permit?

A draft of the new scheme will be published by the end of October 2017, and applications for a permit in the new scheme will be invited in January 2018.

Everyone who holds a contract of employment with the University, SRC, GUU, QMU or GSA can apply. This may exclude those employed by external organisations.

5.       Can you confirm if this will affect staff/students that hold a blue badge?

Blue badge holders (staff and students) will automatically be eligible for a permit as part of the new scheme.  

In response to feedback, temporary mobility issues, such as short term injury causing mobility issues, will be considered in the criteria.

6.       What will happen to the existing waiting list for car parking permits?

We are aware that some people have been on the waiting list for parking permits for a considerable length of time.   The suspension of the permit scheme at Gilmorehill and the length of the waiting list have been two of the key drivers behind the review of car parking management. In order to be as fair as possible, all eligible staff will have the opportunity to apply or reapply for a permit when the new scheme opens in January 2018, regardless of whether they have previously had a permit or been on the waiting list. 

7.       What will the criteria be for obtaining and reassessing a parking permit? When will the detail be published?

Possible criteria for parking permits are suggested under ‘Principle 1: Fairness’ and feedback received to date will help inform the final proposal.   Further information will be published as part of the finalised draft scheme due to be published by the end of October 2017, and there will be an opportunity for further consultation at that point.

8.       The criteria for principle 1 (A-E) suggests ranking of criteria. Is this the case?

No. The suggested criteria are indicative at this stage. A more detailed list of criteria will be published as part of the finalised draft scheme, due to be published by the end of October 2017.  The final criteria list will consider consultation responses.

9.       Will the criteria consider car sharers and owners of Electric Vehicles to give them easier access to permits?

At this stage, we have not made a decision about this.   A more detailed list of criteria will be published as part of the finalised draft scheme, due to be published by the end of October 2017, and there will be an opportunity for further consultation at that point.

10.   Regarding the consideration of accommodating irregular car use – will there be a limit on this?

We are investigating the introduction of different permit types in order to accommodate those who may wish to use their car occasionally but not frequently.  Different types of permit and their use will be introduced within the overall constraints of demand and supply of parking space.

We are investigating a range of permits including flexible permits and scratch card permits to suit occasional use; these would complement everyday use permits.

11.   Will Garscube permit holders still be able to park at Gilmorehill for meetings under new system?

The needs of staff who travel frequently between campuses, and to other facilities in the city, are recognised as an important issue.  We are investigating how they must be addressed in the new scheme.

12.   What will happen to visitor parking under the new scheme?

The new scheme will include a process for accommodating visitor parking within the campus.  The detail of this is under consideration.  Large one-off events that generate significant numbers of visitors, such as open days or conferences, will continue to require a separate event transport plan/strategy to be agreed with the security team.

13.   Is the University considering interest free loans for staff to purchase travel cards?

The working group is investigating the possible introduction of interest free loans for public transport travel to help staff purchase the most affordable and flexible public transport tickets such as SPT zone cards.  More information will be provided on this in due course.

14.   How is the University engaging with the council given the frustrations around the new parking regime in surrounding areas, particularly Downhill/Hyndland?

The University made representations to Glasgow City Council noting a number of concerns when the residential parking zone changes were under consideration.  The University is in continual dialogue with the Council concerning the delivery and implementation of our campus redevelopment plans.   We will continue to highlight the importance of supportive infrastructure within the city and to work in partnership with all key stakeholders including SPT and Glasgow City Council.    

15.   When will the University conduct another travel survey?

The most recent staff and students travel survey was carried out in October/November 2015. The next survey is due to be conducted in spring 2018 and we would encourage all staff and students to participate.

16.   If I am not successful applying for new parking permit and have to use public transport, I will take longer to travel to work. Will the University support flexible working to take account of this?

The University has a Flexible Working Policy, which can be accessed on:

www.gla.ac.uk/services/humanresources/all/worklife/flexibleworking/

The University will consider every reasonable request for flexible working from staff that meets the eligibility criteria. 

17.   The statement mentioned potential external company involvement; can you clarify what this means for current staff?   Why can in-house staff not continue to provide this service?

There will be minimal change to current arrangements for parking administration, management and enforcement as these will continue to be dealt with by our in-house teams.  Staff working in these areas will receive full training as new processes are brought in and ongoing support will be available as the scheme changes.

We are in dialogue with 3rd party permit software providers who can provide technical support for specialist permit management software.   The University is looking to improve the permit application process by removing paper-based processes with a web-based application and permit scheme.  A web-based system will improve functionality and allow full integration with onsite parking management and enforcement.

18.   Where can I get more information on my travel options?

The University has information on Cycling, Walking, Buses, Trains, Underground and help on journey planning at the following pages:

www.gla.ac.uk/services/estates/sustainability/travel/publictransport/

www.gla.ac.uk/services/estates/sustainability/travel/cycling/

You can also find useful resources on Travel Line and SPT.

19.   Will there be an appeals process?

Yes, consideration will be given to incorporating an appeals process.

Further detail will be published as part of the finalised draft scheme, due to be published by the end of October 2017, and there will be an opportunity for further consultation at that point.

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First published: 21 August 2017