Brian Webster
Sheffield Green Party have submitted a formal objection to Sheffield University plans for a multi-storey car park on Glossop Road.
Broomhill Green Party spokesperson, Brian Webster, who submitted the objection, comments:
“We share the concerns of local residents that this big car park is likely to lead to increases in traffic and air pollution and reduce road safety. Patients, visitors and staff need to be able to travel to the hospitals easily but this would not require more parking in that area if better public transport was made available.He added : “We call on the universities, hospitals and other local employers to refocus their efforts on providing sustainable transport options for their staff. This would leave the existing car parks and any on street parking available for any patients and visitors unable to use public transport.”
Objection:
The wording of the objection is as follows :
“Sheffield Green Party objects to this application. We share the concerns of local residents that a car park of this size is very likely to lead to significant increases in traffic, congestion and air pollution in the surrounding area. The proposal calls for a net increase of 437 spaces in addition to those currently provided on the site. Given the stated intention of the developers to provide additional spaces for users of the nearby hospitals, their assertion that this increase in parking provision will result in only a small net increase in traffic is surprising. We think it is likely that increased traffic flow in the surrounding streets will lead to a decrease in overall road safety, especially for pedestrians and cyclists.
We welcome the University of Sheffield’s commitment that this development will not result in any net increase in parking spaces allocated to their students and staff. But we note that it is specifically intended to provide additional parking provision for users of the Children’s, Hallamshire and Weston Park hospitals. This appears to conflict with the hospitals’ stated sustainable transport policies which aim to reduce car journeys over time.
We recognise that patients and relatives need to be able to travel to these hospitals easily, and that the current situation is not tenable. However, this does not necessitate a large increase in parking provision. More hospital staff and patients would be able to make use of public transport if better provision was available. Options such as improved bus services and a park and ride service for out-of-town hospital users need to be seriously explored. Alternative strategies for improving access to the hospitals, without resorting to a dramatic increase in parking provision, should be given further consideration.”
Details of the planning application can be found at www.sheffield.gov.uk/planning under reference is 13/01699/FUL
If this car park goes ahead,a road system which is already congested will just get worse and cause more stress to residents and, ironically, road users too. The answer is better, cheaper public transport.
Pingback: Greens disappointed by approval of university multi-storey car park | Sheffield Green Party