4,000 objections force Public Hearing for parking around Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital

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 However “Fastlink” buses ran empty, and it is understood the main operator has now withdrawn the service.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.

The G51 Group’s alternative scheme would be a fraction of the cost of installing the GCC proposals (GCC’s estimated cost of installing their parking scheme is £350,000). Local councillors, MSPs and Chris Stevens MP have all given their backing for the G51 alternative scheme.

4,000 objections force Public Hearing for parking around Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital