http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: "Hospital workers face car parking ban at ERI" en Thu, 21 May 2026 07:51:50 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14330&page=5#post-359406 Wed, 06 Apr 2022 07:58:15 +0000 chdot 359406@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>“</p> <p>It comes amid a number of reports of staff car park is ‘barely half full’ every day while a "huge proportion of the workforce struggle with their commute".</p> <p>…</p> <p>Staff have written to health bosses urging them to award priority points under the permit scheme for those who don't work core hours of 9 to 5.</p> <p>“</p> <p><a href="https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/health/royal-infirmary-of-edinburgh-nurses-threatened-by-angry-residents-as-parking-row-boils-over-3642241" rel="nofollow">https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/health/royal-infirmary-of-edinburgh-nurses-threatened-by-angry-residents-as-parking-row-boils-over-3642241</a></p> <p>Some of the issues/solutions have already been discussed here. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14330&page=5#post-359337 Sat, 02 Apr 2022 01:02:47 +0000 Tulyar 359337@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>My ex- took away one of the PC's without letting me clear files, and at present the paper archives are out of reach in the exclusion zone where my house is - thanks to a panic about a church tower 53 metres &amp; 900T which is either about to collapse or totally stable depending on which way you assess the risk</p> <p>It was all the E-G express route, &amp; Dunblane triangle Inverness-Aberdeen &amp; selected others </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14330&page=5#post-359313 Fri, 01 Apr 2022 09:43:20 +0000 Frenchy 359313@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>I did some of the work he's looking at 20 years ago for Scotrail, covering 20 stations</em></p> <p>Which stations - and is there somewhere we can read this? Spokes considering doing similar at the moment. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14330&page=5#post-359312 Fri, 01 Apr 2022 09:39:15 +0000 Tulyar 359312@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Reminds me to write to John Lauder - I did some of the work he's looking at 20 years ago for Scotrail, covering 20 stations</p> <p>Also to get in at the early stages of planning - there are e-bike charging provisions going in for the Aberdeen-Inverness planning</p> <p>Plus some impressive results already for just 3 months of 30 bikes in Inverness bike hire system around 40% of hires Inverness Station-Raigmore Hospital (They should also have Brompton Hire live by now - at Inverness Station, also at Elgin &amp; Oban) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14330&page=5#post-359311 Fri, 01 Apr 2022 09:33:22 +0000 Tulyar 359311@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@morningsider - per GRI - the 1000-space multi storey only cost £7.5m to build!</p> <p>GRI is only 400 metres from High Street Station an 8-10 minute walk (or less if you walk at my pace) - closer than Gartnaval is to Hyndland, but not promoted in anywhere close to the same way</p> <p>The bus stops have no shelter, no real time screens, &amp; passengers have to cross the horrible 4-5 lanes of Castle Street (no direct &amp; clean route) plus the 4 lanes of Cathedral Street/M8 Junction 15 approaches to get to/from the hospital. I was in there in 2000 after I broke my hip (decelerating 20-0 mph on impact with the tarmac, when a pothole took me off the bike) and watched the bus drivers letting passengers of (illegally) as they were held in the queue at the traffic lights on the J15 off ramps to cut over the waste ground/car park to get to the hospital</p> <p>Restoring the original M8 junction on to Alexandra Parade for buses &amp; coaches only would enable the X19 (Easterhouse to QEUH) and 900 to stop right at the door of the hospital inbound from East, but the ultimate has to be creating a through bus road through the old archway to Molindinar Road and buses stopping right in the middle of the hospital</p> <p>Some radical work though to deliver direct &amp; pleasant paths from Springburn, &amp; areas North of the M8 - quite an adventure to explore how the existing paths have been threaded through as the afterthoughts once the convenience of drivers has been dealt with </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14330&page=5#post-359308 Fri, 01 Apr 2022 09:21:20 +0000 chdot 359308@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Yes but</p> <p>That’s ALL </p> <p>TOO</p> <p>SENSIBLE </p> <p>So much COULD be done </p> <p>So much SHOULD have been done YEARS ago </p> <p>Not even sure making bus services free would make much difference. </p> <p>To ‘most people’ PT (especially buses) are unattractive/‘difficult’ - and (because of Covid) ‘dangerous’. </p> <p>In addition, cars are ‘simple’ and ‘free to use’ - apart from fuel of course…</p> <p>Time for a change (long overdue of course). SG says got to reduce car mileage by 20%, John Lauder working for/with ‘new’ railway. </p> <p>Keep coming up with SMART solutions, keep talking to the ‘right’ people. One day something might (WILL) happen. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14330&page=5#post-359306 Fri, 01 Apr 2022 09:11:03 +0000 Tulyar 359306@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@mornigsider - Ninewells is under 2 Km from Invergowrie Station, &amp; with a new path along the railway boundary &amp; the edge of WLGore factory it could be cut to around 1.5Km and built with 'open' aspect with good lighting &amp; clear views along the path - lobby point here for contacts in WLGore to develop this as a connection (&amp; Dundee Technology Park) between their factory &amp; trains to Glasgow/Dundee</p> <p>I've already fed in to the Network Rail planning process (at GRIP2 stage FYI) to get provision for an e-bike charging connection at Invergowrie, in their planned upgrade, and to press for the Embark e-bikes to go in at the station &amp; Ninewells (&amp; WL Gore/Technology Park) - e bikes needed for the slight hill? </p> <p>The new timetable in May sees an hourly service for Invergowrie - so an appeal for those promoting active travel to promote &amp; enable this link?</p> <p>My DM open </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14330&page=5#post-359304 Fri, 01 Apr 2022 08:53:51 +0000 Tulyar 359304@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@Arellcat kindly checked out the timings but Shawfair station could be an easy bike ride from ERI with a few small tweaks:<br /> - a more direct exit route from Edinburgh platform<br /> - a decent crossing of Millerhill Road<br /> - field path upgrade to Danderhall<br /> - more direct path along line of aqueduct/pipeline into hospital</p> <p>Based of the effect on other stations with good links this would boost the c.30.000 boardings/year from Shawfair </p> <p>For those on foot, a frequent (&amp; small) electric bus, shuttling Sheriffhall-Shawfair-Main doors might run - possibly using bus only link road to run to Newcraighall (often empty parking at retail park outside shopping hours) perhaps 3-4 buses to deliver service every 2-3 minutes, with CCTV/real time tracking to display train/bus position at stations/on bus. This bus service also connecting with other bus services (from E Lothian) at Newcraighall &amp; Fort Kinnaird cutting journey times. </p> <p>The shuttle bus should be free to board - &amp; underwritten by a sponsor package or contributions from Sheriffhall/Newcraighall parking charges, and a % based on Scotrail monthly boardings total, plus the savings made by ERI on not providing free car parking. </p> <p>Having also had recent chat with Scotrail director, the potential for unlocking the silos that block/delay use of stations as local community hubs, to look at a convenience store/GP Surgery-Health Centre at Shawfair Station, providing staff presence &amp; local activity - especially for the new housing developments within walking &amp; cycling distance </p> <p>A big silos issue here is that the Edinburgh-Midlothian boundary screws up projects that 'cannot' be managed under a single umbrella. Perhaps a Sustrans/Paths for All detail that can coalesce all funding streams &amp; have a single project management </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14330&page=5#post-359248 Wed, 30 Mar 2022 08:09:49 +0000 chdot 359248@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>(England)</p> <p>“<br /> Defending the move, he said over 93% of NHS trusts that charge for car parking have now “implemented free parking for those in greatest need, including NHS staff working overnight.” </p> <p>“</p> <p><a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/free-parking-nhs-staff-covid-b2046720.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/free-parking-nhs-staff-covid-b2046720.html</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14330&page=5#post-358825 Fri, 04 Mar 2022 21:35:31 +0000 Dave 358825@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>It is mad. Google walking directions are 2 miles each way; that's just 8 minutes on an ebike. And yet if people aren't willing to be exposed to traffic danger they are stuck doing a 15-20 minute drive (inc parking). Not money, not weather, not even hills. Just car danger. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14330&page=5#post-358824 Fri, 04 Mar 2022 18:09:27 +0000 Morningsider 358824@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>If you are cycling between Firrhill and the Royal Ed, I would suggest going up the side road by Firrhill High School, turn right and pass Milestone House, shared use path through the old City Hospital to Littlejohn Avenue, out onto Greenbank Drive and then on to Morningside Grove, hang a left and down Myreside and into the "back" entrance of the hospital. </p> <p>Only down sides are the mini roundabout and steepness of Morningside Grove. Traffic shouldn't be too bad, unless it is Watson's traffic time - then all bets are off.</p> <p>Does show you how bad things really are, that a journey of a mile and a bit in a leafy suburb requires so much planning and is possibly still too grim for most people. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14330&page=5#post-358823 Fri, 04 Mar 2022 17:04:24 +0000 Dave 358823@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The entrance to the hospital on the west side didn't exist when we lived on that side of town... what's the traffic like on the Morningside edge of the site? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14330&page=5#post-358808 Thu, 03 Mar 2022 12:55:59 +0000 Arellcat 358808@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Yes, the usual low traffic route is along Firrhill Drive and the Braid Burn path as far as Oxgangs Avenue. There is no pedestrian crossing at this point but the sight lines are good. Continue into Braid Burn Valley Park and at the northern end use the crossing to get to Braidburn Terrace and thence the notional quiet route to Cluny Gardens.</p> <p>Morningside Road as far as Millar Crescent is not low traffic, but there is no other closer access to the Royal Ed if that was wanted as the alternative route north.</p> <p>If Colinton Road had a proper separated cycling route on it, and if the snicket parallel to the railway as far as Craighouse Road/Myreside Road was properly formed, it would be a decent route because it links the western entrance to the Royal Ed and you follow the cinder path up and around to the main road through to Tipperlin. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14330&page=5#post-358806 Thu, 03 Mar 2022 11:38:53 +0000 Dave 358806@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I've been trying to see if Braid burn valley, over to Greenbank-Meadows quiet route then cut west at the relevant part of Morningside road (by Waitrose) would be traffic free enough.. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14330&page=5#post-358796 Wed, 02 Mar 2022 11:59:53 +0000 Morningsider 358796@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@Dave - I reckon a cyclist could always get between Firrhill and Morningside Road quicker than a driver, as you can nip through the old City Hospital which is closed as a through-route to traffic. I suppose it is actually a low traffic neighbourhood, but no-one thinks of it as that. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14330&page=5#post-358792 Tue, 01 Mar 2022 23:54:42 +0000 Dave 358792@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Different hospital, but one acquaintance lives by Firhill and drives to work at the Western while the other drives to work on Morningside Road (!) and no chance of shifting them even with an ebike loan. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14330&page=5#post-358755 Sat, 26 Feb 2022 15:06:15 +0000 Murun Buchstansangur 358755@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@Morningsider the ERI parking buyout is not completed yet, presumably wrangling over price. £950k per quarter being forked over in the meantime. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14330&page=5#post-358752 Sat, 26 Feb 2022 12:37:11 +0000 Morningsider 358752@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The <a href="https://www.parlamaid-alba.scot/chamber-and-committees/committees/current-and-previous-committees/session-6-health-social-care-and-sport-committee/correspondence/2021/buy-out-of-pfi-hospital-car-parks">Scottish Government paid</a> £26.3m to buy out the PFI parking contract at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary and £9m for Ninewells in Dundee. I can't find details for the Edinburgh buy-out, but I imagine it is in the same region. </p> <p>Annual investment in bus, walking and cycling access to these hospitals would likely be measured in the tens of thousands of pounds, principally to support some bus services. Probably less than it costs to employ people to manage the parking permit system and to patrol the car park.</p> <p>I agree with @Baldcyclist that some car access is always going to be required. What annoys me is that, despite national and local government policy aiming to reduce car travel, almost all the investment is going towards facilitating access by car AND the only solution being mentioned by politicians is MORE CARS! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14330&page=5#post-358746 Fri, 25 Feb 2022 23:12:29 +0000 Baldcyclist 358746@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The free park and ride bus option would work for me, though Ferrytoll maybe too far out.</p> <p>What would the cost of that be compared to maintaining the car park, and who would pay for it? Health budget like the car park?</p> <p>Just for clarity my daily life doesn't require car use, I do have one but it spends 95% of the time on the drive. However I do consider hospital visits an essential reason to use it when required. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14330&page=5#post-358742 Fri, 25 Feb 2022 20:56:42 +0000 acsimpson 358742@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Congestion around ERI could be reduced by offering free and frequent shuttle buses from all the cities park and rides (including ferrytoll). Then charge for the parking including a weekly/monthly cap. Potentially also introducing a further kind of income/home address based reduction in parking charges.</p> <p>I agree that there should be a free option for those that need to get to the hospital, however I don't agree that it also needs to be the most convenient option. This includes people living in Leith just as much as it does those who live in Fife. Just because your daily life means you need a car doesn't mean you should also be afforded a free option at the exclusion of others. A drive from Fife at many times will actually end up quicker than getting the bus from places within Edinburgh. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14330&page=4#post-358739 Fri, 25 Feb 2022 19:28:53 +0000 chdot 358739@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Um</p> <p>This is getting slightly personal, when it really need not. </p> <p>Clearly everyone has ‘personal circumstances’ but the points here are about provision of parking (free or otherwise) at institutions which in themselves are heavily involved in ‘special cases’. </p> <p>Using/needing hospitals is a bit random. I have no idea how much visits/admissions are emergencies or scheduled or how much the latter are 9-5. </p> <p>I have no idea what proportion of visitors (for treatment, visiting patients or as workers) have cars or to what extent they want/prefer to use them. </p> <p>Clearly ‘most people’ will never choose to cycle or walk (unless they stay close by), clearly PT needs to be better/better suited to actual needs of all visitors. </p> <p>Unfortunately there have been decades of presumptions/policies about cars being best/inevitable etc. </p> <p>Changing this for many reasons (inc. ‘Climate’) isn’t easy, but is necessary. </p> <p>Creating more parking spaces is the wrong solution - not least because it won’t sort whatever the actual problems are. </p> <p>Putting trains on the South Sub and having a station at Cameron Toll plus shuttle buses, should be a much higher priority than ‘sorting’ the Sheriffhall roundabout. </p> <p>But…</p> <p>Additionally, it’s really sad when the health establishment continues to ignore/play down healthier travel options - some of which might save the NHS money AND create a slightly healthier population. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14330&page=4#post-358737 Fri, 25 Feb 2022 18:14:51 +0000 Baldcyclist 358737@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The critical difference is choice.</p> <p>I'm happy to pay £10 for example to drive into Edinburgh, because I can choose not to do that.</p> <p>If I have to drive half way round the country to visit a critically ill or dying relative in the ERI I have no choice but to do that, 1. because the Scottish Government has removed the local services which I used to cycle or bus too, and 2. loyalty to loved ones removes the choice, you have to go, wherever the hospital is for as long as they are there. Another personal example for me is driving to a hospice in Ayr and back every night after work for a week - that had free parking too.</p> <p>I can only presume Neddie that the only considerations you have to make in life are for you alone, and that you don't have to worry about loyalty to ill relatives whilst managing work and familly life and visiting all in 24 hours etc - one day you might (we all do at some point), and it will become clearer. :) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14330&page=4#post-358736 Fri, 25 Feb 2022 18:02:58 +0000 Baldcyclist 358736@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>It has already been paid for (with actual real folding green stuff).</p> <p>The trouble with the ultras is that nothing will make you happy, there is no middle ground for you. I've suggested removing cars from Edinburgh by congestion charge, not good enough for you. You litterally want everyone living in the woods in grass huts ;). </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14330&page=4#post-358735 Fri, 25 Feb 2022 17:51:16 +0000 neddie 358735@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>You've got somewhere to park. Why don't you want to pay for it? This is freeloading, pure and simple </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14330&page=4#post-358734 Fri, 25 Feb 2022 17:15:12 +0000 Baldcyclist 358734@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"suit you and only you"</p> <p>Travelling a 70 mile round trip to get to the ERI doesn't suit me at all. I'd much rather it wasn't neccesary, and takes 4 hours out of my day visiting and getting there and home.</p> <p>However if the Scottish government is going to make me drive half way round the country to visit critically ill relatives the least they can do is give me somewhere to park.</p> <p>I wholeheartedly agree Edinburgh residents and those local should get the bus, or Ambulance. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14330&page=4#post-358733 Fri, 25 Feb 2022 17:07:40 +0000 Baldcyclist 358733@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Would stop people coming into Edinburgh, isn't that what *you* crave?... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14330&page=4#post-358732 Fri, 25 Feb 2022 17:06:19 +0000 neddie 358732@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><blockquote>Conjestion charging for those coming in or out of Edinurgh on any route. On that route charge would start just a wee bit past the hospital on the Edinburgh side.</blockquote></p> <p>This sounds like a congestion charge conveniently designed to suit you and only you </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14330&page=4#post-358731 Fri, 25 Feb 2022 17:06:04 +0000 Baldcyclist 358731@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"What is wrong with using money to price things? We do it for everything else?"</p> <p>You missed the earlier points about the parking having already been paid for by money.</p> <p>However if Edinburgh residents (comments just above suggesting they are the ones using all of the parking) had to pay £10 congestion charge to get back into Edinburgh after using the carpark, would they just get the bus instead?</p> <p>Seems then there would then be plenty parking for those that really need it... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14330&page=4#post-358730 Fri, 25 Feb 2022 16:54:48 +0000 neddie 358730@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><blockquote>free parking for those that need it</blockquote></p> <p>There <strong>won't be any spaces available</strong> for those that need it, if you make parking free. Simple laws of supply and demand.</p> <p>As I said before, even if you build multiple multi-storeys, and a 27-lane highway, there still won't be available spaces and access capacity to cater for potential demand. What is wrong with using money to price things? We do it for everything else? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14330&page=4#post-358729 Fri, 25 Feb 2022 16:42:44 +0000 Baldcyclist 358729@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"targeted interventions"</p> <p>Conjestion charging for those coming in or out of Edinurgh on any route. On that route charge would start just a wee bit past the hospital on the Edinburgh side.</p> <p>People that need to get to hospital who can't easily get there, out of town people can get there directly, disabled get free access through conjestion area etc.</p> <p>Leave the hospital with free parking for those that need it. </p>