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An independent Reporter will hold a Public Hearing next
Thursday and Friday in Govan’s Pearce Institute to consider Glasgow City
Council’s proposals for a “shared parking” scheme in neighbourhoods surrounding
the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEU). G51 Group objectors will be represented by Govan Law Centre's Mike Dailly.
GCC limited parking spaces within QEU to 3500 spaces –
most of these for out-patients and visitors. This forced the 10,000 hospital
workers onto the streets around the hospital. As a result local residents are
unable to find parking in streets where they live. 18 months ago, GCC proposed
a “shared parking” scheme for the area with parking meters on all streets.
Local residents rejected the GCC proposals with almost 4,000
objection letters being sent to the Council.
They formed the G51 Free Parking Group who submitted their alternative
parking scheme supported by the community to the Council. The community believe
that only the G51 parking scheme would effectively give priority to residents
for parking in G51 area.
Locals are incensed that the GCC scheme means that
visitors to residents, including unpaid carers, would need to pay for parking
on every visit. Local Shops who rely on “passing trade” also want the
G51 alternative scheme to retain parking for their customers, and to avoid
shop workers being charged £700 each year to park at their work.
G51 Residents also object to being asked to pay for the
GCC parking scheme – when they had never been consulted on the development of
the QEU and its parking provision. GCC claimed that their “Fastlink” buses would be used by
hospital workers in preference to their cars. However “Fastlink” buses ran
empty, and it is understood the main operator has now withdrawn the service.
The G51 Group are sympathetic to parking problems of hospital
workers and have argued for massive increase in car parking at QEU. – and in
longer term – for improvements in Road infrastructure – including on/off ramps
from M8 at the Hardgate Rd. end of hospital.
