CARDIFF AND VALE NHS TRUST
YMDDIRIEDOLAETH GIG CAERDYDD A’R FRO
‘REMOVAL OF CAR PARKING CHARGES’
OPERATIONAL UPDATE
1.
BACKGROUND
As colleagues are aware the Health Minister’s recent announcement means that with
effect from 1st April 2008, free car parking is to be provided at all NHS Hospital sites for
patients, staff and visitors (except those sites where external contracts are in place).
Where there are external contracts in place they should be allowed to run their course,
they should not however be renewed or extended. When contracts expire services must
be brought back in-house and all parking provided free of charge to patients, staff and
visitors. Trusts are required to develop and fund schemes, for implementation by 1 June
2008, to reduce costs for patients, staff and visitors until the contracts expire or are
ended.
This notice to both Trust and Cardiff University staff colleagues’ outlines the operational
arrangements, which will be in place to manage car parking in the short term from 1 April
2008.
2.
SHORT TERM ACTIONS
At present the Trust manages car parking at all hospital sites other than UHW, where the
PFI agreement with Vinci Park runs until March 2018. Charges are applied at all sites
except St. David’s.
Access to sites, traffic flow and the provision of spaces for staff,
visitors and patients is managed by a combination of staff permits, differential charging
for staff and patients/visitors and the use of penalty notices.
With the removal of
charges the operational management of parking will have to change to ensure:
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Sites do not become congested.
Access to buildings/loading and delivery bays is maintained.
Access for emergency vehicles (especially the Fire Service) is maintained.
Patients and visitors retain the opportunity to park on Trust sites.
2.1.
Llandough Hospital
Based on current demand for parking at Llandough and experience prior to the
introduction of permits and revised charges, it is anticipated that there will be the
potential for significant disruption at Llandough when charges are removed. This could
lead to major congestion on the site and extreme difficulties for patients arriving for
clinics.
It is also likely that there will be pressure on parking at the times of staff
changeover and for those staff who have split site responsibilities and arrive at
Llandough in the middle of the day. At present there are approximately 1200 spaces at
Llandough of which 42 are designated disabled parking bays. Drop off bays are being
constructed outside the main entrance to the hospital. The main parking areas are
shown on the map (as per attachment). These are:
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Car Park 1, the staff, patients and visitors car park.
Removal of Car Parking Charges
Operational Update
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Car Park 2, a dedicated area for staff.
A temporary staff parking area, which will be removed at the East end of the site.
(6)
A small car park opposite CAVOC and parking outside the Llanfair Mental Health
Unit. (3,7)
There are also spaces by the Maternity entrance and a small number around the
back of the hospital. (4,5)
There are dedicated staff bays alongside the road opposite Outpatients.
It is proposed to re-designate Car Park 2 as patients and visitors parking area with Car
Park 1 remaining a staff general parking area. This is to ensure availability of spaces
for patients.
In order to control access to the visitor/patient car park a dedicated security presence will
be at the entrance to the car park between approx. 07:30 – 16:00 (Monday – Friday) to
check patient appointment letters on entry. There is no way that visitors can be checked
but the assumption is that most visitors will be in the afternoon and evening time. There
remains a significant risk that this approach could lead to congestion outside the car
park.
In the short term there will be no change to the bay parking system in place at the
hospital. At present staff pay a premium for bay parking. The intention is that these
remain in place pending a review of the parking situation in three months time. The
reason for retaining the bays is to review the use of these as a means of ensuring staff
can park in time for clinics or theatre sessions or any other appropriate reason linked to
patients’ clinical services.
Over the next few years there will be an increased level of building work on the site as a
result of Capital developments it is important that especially in the early periods of
change no car parking spaces are lost to accommodate contractors huts or access for
site traffic.
A range of operational actions are and will continue to be progressed including
amendments and replacement of existing signage, completion of drop zones adjacent to
main entrance and deployment of security / car parking staff to assist in monitoring traffic
flows and policing car parks as previously undertaken.
2.2.
Barry Community Hospital
No significant problems are anticipated on the site.
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2.3.
Status quo arrangements to continue.
Consideration and work towards patient only parking area at front of building
progressing although it is noted that supply outstrips demand on this site.
Lansdowne
No significant problems are anticipated on the site.
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2.4.
Status quo arrangements to continue as this is mainly a staff only facility.
Supply outstrips demand on this site.
West Wing Hospital / CRI
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Operational Update
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2.5.
Status quo arrangements to continue utilising the barrier.
The entrance to the car parks at the Links and Longcross Street to become
staff parking areas only, to prevent contractors and public parking at will.
Whitchurch Hospital
Due to the location of the hospital the site lends itself as a commuter park and
ride facility for the M4 and Coryton station. Prior to car parking charges being
introduced the car park was used to a degree by commuters. In order to reduce
the chance of this happening again post 1 April 2008 regular patrols will be
carried out by security staff and enforcement may in due course be applied
against vehicles not displaying a staff permit in the main car park.
The Trust O, D & T Department is based at Whitchurch and a large number of
spaces are occupied by staff on the days that courses are run at the Centre;
Cardiff University Post Graduate Centre is also on site and this impacts on the
use of spaces. Discussions will take place with O, D & T to assess numbers
attending courses over the first few weeks of April.
One of the priorities will be to ensure easy access for emergency vehicles in
particular Fire engines as there is a higher than normal incident rate of alarms
being set off at the hospital.
2.6.
Rookwood Hospital
Due to the geography of the hospital the site does not have the capacity to
absorb the demand for parking. Prior to the introduction of car parking charges
parking was not controlled and double parking was a feature of the site. It is
proposed that in an attempt to prevent this reoccurring that increased patrols will
take place and enforcement notices issued where appropriate. One of the
priorities will be to ensure easy access for emergency vehicles, as access around
the site is difficult at present.
2.7
University Hospital of Wales
There is a risk that public and staff perception will be that parking on the UHW
site will be free from 1 April 2008.
To avoid this misunderstanding a
communication strategy will be implemented to advise all site users and external
stakeholders that car-parking charges will continue to be applied at the UHW site
and management of car parking remain as per current basis.
Further discussions will be held with Vinci Park Ltd. in order to determine the level
of future charges at UHW and updates will follow in this respect.
3.
MEDIUM TERM ACTIONS
A range of medium / longer-term proposals will need to be developed.
include:
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These may
Site-specific re-designation of areas as ‘staff only’ parking based on permits.
Parking slips to be made available via patient’s appointment letters, to patient
/ attendees for use when accessing hospital site.
Removal of Car Parking Charges
Operational Update
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4.
Consideration on high patient activity sites to barrier controlled access car
parks linked to a ‘date and time’ only ticket being issued on entry, or with exit
control methods.
Evaluation of levels of security Car Parking personnel required to monitor and
manage car parking.
Maintain staff permit and database to cover all sites including St. David’s
Hospital. Although the private sector partner provides Facilities Management
Services to the hospital the designation of who can park on site is not one of
their responsibilities.
The development of a pro-active communication framework.
Stricter criteria for allocating car-parking permits to staff.
Close links with the development of the Sustainable Travel Strategy.
SUMMARY
The next few weeks will be a challenging time and the management of change will be a
key objective for the Service Group and the Trust. Support from colleagues will be
crucial during this initial period and further assessments will be undertaken on a week-toweek basis in order to provide an acceptable level of management and to ensure that
control is maintained in the best interests of patients, visitors and staff.
A strong collaborative and partnership approach will need to be maintained between the
Trust and stakeholders including staff side organisations and CHC’s in order to assist the
Trust in managing the short, medium and longer term implications of the removal of car
parking charges. Communication to staff and visitors will need to be continuous and
consequently, updates will be provided on a regular basis.
5.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Further information has been attached which will be made available across sites as
relevant and includes:
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Removal of Car Parking Charges – Question and Answer Brief
Important Car Parking Notice for Staff / Visitors parking at Llandough Hospital
Llandough Site Plan – Car Parks
Car Park Protocol for On Call and Contractors
Further assistance and advice can be obtained via Trust Car Parking Office staff or Tracy
Vowles, Trust Car Parking Administrator, Monday to Friday between 09:30 - 12:00 and 12:30 –
15:00 via:
Telephone Number 029 2071 6714
E-mail - trustcarparkingoffice@cardiffandvale.wales.nhs.uk
E-mail - tracy.vowles@cardiffandvale.wales.nhs.uk
Simon Williams
Head of Operational Services
26 March 2008
Phillip Cable
Support Services Manager
26 March 2008
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Operational Update
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