http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: "500 staff waiting over five years for ERI parking permit" en Thu, 21 May 2026 07:56:37 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17423&page=2#post-357007 Fri, 19 Nov 2021 22:38:38 +0000 LaidBack 357007@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Shona Craven covering Glasgow's complex and expensive fares. Does mention getting for an airport though. Picture of a bike bus.</p> <p><a href="https://www.thenational.scot/politics/19727488.green-pledges-ring-hollow-scotlands-transport-not-smart/" rel="nofollow">https://www.thenational.scot/politics/19727488.green-pledges-ring-hollow-scotlands-transport-not-smart/</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17423&page=2#post-357002 Fri, 19 Nov 2021 18:49:21 +0000 crowriver 357002@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Well the SG don't have a great track record of admitting mistakes, especially on transport issues (does any government?). Let's see now...</p> <p>- Abolishing bridge tolls<br /> - Aberdeen bypass<br /> - Dualling of A9, A96<br /> - New motorways in Glasgow<br /> - New motorway over the Forth<br /> - Sheriffhall roundabout<br /> - Cutbacks to EGIP<br /> - Cutbacks to Borders Rail<br /> - Delays to free buses for under 19s<br /> - Still no integrated ticketing on public transport</p> <p>All these are mistakes when viewed from a rational perspective, taking into account climate change, localised pollution, congestion, urban sprawl, declining bus services, relative lack of investment in rail, etc.</p> <p>But listening to Scottish ministers you'd think they're all amazing triumphs, and that the country's transport network is doing just fine...</p> <p>So let's not hold our breath for an admission from SG, because they actually seem to believe they're doing well on transport. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17423&page=2#post-356977 Fri, 19 Nov 2021 09:27:57 +0000 chdot 356977@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I know this has been discussed recently on other threads (inc the plan for ‘improving’ Sheriffhall), but latest development is more about an old problem that may or may not be being dealt with better -</p> <p>“</p> <p>Hospital chief warning over congestion disruption to ambulances as date confirmed for parking permits </p> <p>Queues of cars trying to park at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary are at risk of delaying ambulances and other emergency vehicles, a hospital chief has said. </p> <p>“</p> <p><a href="https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/people/hospital-chief-warning-over-congestion-disruption-to-ambulances-as-date-confirmed-for-parking-permits-3463320" rel="nofollow">https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/people/hospital-chief-warning-over-congestion-disruption-to-ambulances-as-date-confirmed-for-parking-permits-3463320</a></p> <p>I think it’s time SG admitted its ‘free parking at hospitals’ diktat was a mistake. </p> <p>But this is unlikely, as is the funding of the long ‘planned’ tram line. </p> <p>Things change, not least ‘circumstances’ - Covid, COP26, SG notion of reducing car mileage by 20%. </p> <p>Free for all don’t work. </p> <p>More car parking space don’t work. </p> <p>Subsidies for car users to one type of destination don’t work. </p> <p>Whatever individual’s residence and transport choices are/should/could be, have all the issues of shift patterns and availability of PT or dedicated staff buses to places like PnR been dealt with? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17423&page=2#post-329995 Fri, 15 May 2020 13:58:42 +0000 neddie 329995@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>They have to do something fairly extreme before I block. Like put me on a list entitled “cyclist s*** gibbons”</p> <p>Better to know your enemy </p> <p>I periodically go through and unblock people. I only have 2 blocked at the mo. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17423&page=2#post-329988 Fri, 15 May 2020 12:50:51 +0000 crowriver 329988@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I'm not blocked by him but maybe I never had a big row with him.<br /> I was blocked by someone who is/was on here (I think).</p> <p>The only folk I've ever blocked on Twitter are complete and utter trolls. </p> <p>Indeed quite often you don't even need to block someone if they are aggressively locked into your tweet like a wee terrier and won't let go. Just mute them instead. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17423&page=2#post-329972 Fri, 15 May 2020 10:15:18 +0000 gembo 329972@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Maybe he is busy and only has time for people who agree with him all the time </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17423&page=2#post-329957 Fri, 15 May 2020 08:34:31 +0000 SRD 329957@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>He blocked me ages ago too. </p> <p>I think he’s the only person I know who has blocked me? </p> <p>No idea why. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17423&page=2#post-329948 Thu, 14 May 2020 21:13:00 +0000 chdot 329948@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>“Probably disagreed with something he said...“</p> <p>Easily done.. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17423&page=2#post-329947 Thu, 14 May 2020 20:49:33 +0000 neddie 329947@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Alas, I am blocked by Chris Oliver on Twitter. I don’t know what I did to upset him. Probably disagreed with something he said... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17423&page=2#post-329946 Thu, 14 May 2020 19:50:36 +0000 crowriver 329946@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"Retired surgeon, prrofessor Chris Oliver, also a spokesperson for Spokes"</p> <p>Good egg! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17423&page=2#post-329945 Thu, 14 May 2020 19:39:42 +0000 Frenchy 329945@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Parking situation at RIE is crap for cyclists too, of course: <a href="https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/crime/secure-bike-sheds-should-be-mandatory-cycle-campaigners-make-plea-after-disturbing-number-bike-thefts-nhs-workers-including-covid-19-doctor-2853732" rel="nofollow">https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/crime/secure-bike-sheds-should-be-mandatory-cycle-campaigners-make-plea-after-disturbing-number-bike-thefts-nhs-workers-including-covid-19-doctor-2853732</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17423&page=2#post-242522 Thu, 09 Feb 2017 20:49:07 +0000 crowriver 242522@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@acsimpson, yeah that sounds pretty plausible. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17423&page=2#post-242521 Thu, 09 Feb 2017 20:39:54 +0000 acsimpson 242521@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I'm suprised no one has pointed out the missing part in the article around her costs. Presumably living in West Lothian and driving to ERI is at least 30 miles a day. Which presumably costs at least 20p a mile so around £200 a month (plus any extra wear on the car) but it's the £100 parking which is breaking the bank.</p> <p>If she's newly graduated how likely is it that she's stuck in a specialism which doesn't have any jobs in West Lothian.</p> <p><em>"NHS Lothian said staff parking permits were issued under a points system which took account of factors such as distance, local transport, unsociable hours and childcare."</em></p> <p>I read that to mean the 500 people who have been waiting 5 years or more don't need permits and can/could quite easily commute to work using other means but since it's free to put your name on a list and they quite fancy driving they might as well do so. The other 100 people on the list could be turning over on a regular basis but the article wouldn't be quite as sensationalist if they found that out. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17423&page=2#post-242459 Thu, 09 Feb 2017 10:27:42 +0000 chdot 242459@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Not directly related -</p> <p>"</p> <p>The sale of the 1.54 hectare site includes a condition requiring any proposal to provide approximately 50 car parking spaces solely for use by council-owned Tumbles soft play.</p> <p>"</p> <p><a href="http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/our-region/edinburgh/portobello/portobello-football-pitch-sale-plan-under-attack-1-4361940" rel="nofollow">http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/our-region/edinburgh/portobello/portobello-football-pitch-sale-plan-under-attack-1-4361940</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17423&page=2#post-242450 Wed, 08 Feb 2017 22:36:44 +0000 Nelly 242450@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>chdot, think you are right, my mistake.......Her bus goes in at ODR. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17423#post-242449 Wed, 08 Feb 2017 22:22:20 +0000 chdot 242449@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"The new bus road from Greendykes has council buses running along it. My mum can get a bus from Portobello Road to ERI via that route."</p> <p>Can't see any on the LB app.</p> <p>Which route(s) am I missing? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17423#post-242445 Wed, 08 Feb 2017 21:52:49 +0000 crowriver 242445@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"We often say that the UK needs great public transport infra to get people out their cars - yet when it is provided they still cant move their lardy arses from behind the wheel."</p> <p>This. </p> <p>Likely to remain the case too until the user costs of motoring rise significantly. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17423#post-242442 Wed, 08 Feb 2017 21:50:03 +0000 crowriver 242442@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"Some of us live in Rural West Edinburgh"</p> <p>Fair enough, but then you have the same issue getting anywhere in Edinburgh beyond the city centre or the route of the bus / rail services you can get to.</p> <p>I'm certainly not defending the decision to site the RIE at Little France. It's very inconvenient for north east Edinburgh too, though at least there is a direct bus service from Leith Walk fairly nearby.</p> <p>As for the nurse from West Lothian, it's an unfortunate situation but depending on her precise location, other alternatives are available. These are likely to be cheaper, but slower than driving and paying for a parking permit. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17423#post-242439 Wed, 08 Feb 2017 21:33:05 +0000 Nelly 242439@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"When the eri was at lauriston place most people would not have taken their car due to bus links being much better".</p> <p>Really? In a "build it and they will come" kind of way?</p> <p>Edinburgh has (IMO) a brilliant bus infrastructure compared to many cities.......and yet the city centre is still chockabloc with cars.</p> <p>As to the (Nurse from) West Lothian question - my office is at Edinburgh Park, served with trains from the West, Fife, Stirling, trams and buses from the town and the park/ride at the airport. But it is the large multi storey car park - which is so popular that everyone still has to have a "no car day" every few weeks to accommodate demand - which houses the most popular mode of transport for people working there.</p> <p>We often say that the UK needs great public transport infra to get people out their cars - yet when it is provided they still cant move their lardy arses from behind the wheel.</p> <p>Which circuitously brings me back to the ERI - I believe it would have a parking "problem" wherever it was situated.</p> <p>PFI may have a lot to answer for, but you can bet your bottom dollar that if they tarmacked over more ground to make more car parks, they would just fill up again like new lanes on a motorway. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17423#post-242438 Wed, 08 Feb 2017 21:24:07 +0000 TonyJ 242438@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>You will notice from the "bus guide for the RIE" above that it is all LB services. Some of us live in Rural West Edinburgh &amp; have little choice but to use First Bus or Stagecoach from here which makes it a real pain getting to the RIE. Even getting to St Johns is hard - you have to get to Tesco in S Queensferry or Kirkliston xroads in order to catch a hourly Horsburgh or First Bus service and then getting an hour's tour of West Lothian before getting St Johns. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17423#post-242437 Wed, 08 Feb 2017 21:23:47 +0000 crowriver 242437@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Sure, most use the airport express (or tram) but after those stop running.....I've definitely seen folk doing it. Must be a small number working through the night or starting shifts between midnight and 5am, mind you. Similarly, though numbers at RIE are likely to be higher, still relatively small compared to those arriving/leaving when the day bus services are running. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17423#post-242436 Wed, 08 Feb 2017 20:55:39 +0000 stiltskin 242436@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><blockquote>Plenty of people use night buses to go to work, for example at the airport.</blockquote><br /> Really? I work at the airport &amp; I am struggling to think of anyone who uses the night bus to get there. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17423#post-242435 Wed, 08 Feb 2017 20:54:36 +0000 Ed1 242435@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>It does seem a rip off and unlike most places many people could not cycle to hospital as unwell and old.</p> <p>Yes the PFI does seem a bit overpriced, I suppose in part a result of the “golden rule” of shifting debt which has good international comparisons and EU pressure, on to lots of smaller liability contacts which does not around 230 billion in liability pfi. Along with the 30 odd billion a year unfunded liability on public sector pensions plus the state pension figure of top head about 70 bill a year, PFI may more be sloppy than the traditional debt built hospital as no ones discusses the long term cost, but if have to borrow then its clearer from the outset may be. A few years back when every talking head on tv would winge on about the national debt, liability got little mention. As bad as pfi is and its bad, not overtaken public pension liability yet but its accrued at a high rate. The state pensions pay as go also but<br /> <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/money/loans-credit/crippling-pfi-deals-leave-britain-222bn-in-debt-10170214.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.independent.co.uk/money/loans-credit/crippling-pfi-deals-leave-britain-222bn-in-debt-10170214.html</a><br /> Government employee pensions: £1.2 trillion (unfunded: £0.9 trillion; funded: £0.3 trillion)<br /> State pensions: £3.8 trillion (all unfunded) <a href="http://www.if.org.uk/archives/2031/ons-reveals-full-uk-pension-liabilities" rel="nofollow">http://www.if.org.uk/archives/2031/ons-reveals-full-uk-pension-liabilities</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17423#post-242432 Wed, 08 Feb 2017 20:41:08 +0000 crowriver 242432@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"If I were female, there is absoultely no way I'd be getting on a bus late at night."</p> <p>We don't know what this particular nurse's situation was, except for living in West Lothian. Plenty of people use night buses to go to work, for example at the airport. As for the assumption that females are vulnerable, well that's another discussion. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17423#post-242431 Wed, 08 Feb 2017 20:34:06 +0000 stiltskin 242431@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>If I were female, there is absoultely no way I'd be getting on a bus late at night. Public transport for shiftworkers is problematic if you are in any way vulnerable. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17423#post-242430 Wed, 08 Feb 2017 20:28:18 +0000 crowriver 242430@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Oh by the way, <a href="https://lothianbuses.co.uk/assets/files/Royal-Infirmary_160410.pdf">here's the bus guide for the RIE</a>. There are bus services from most areas of the city. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17423#post-242429 Wed, 08 Feb 2017 20:24:18 +0000 crowriver 242429@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"if the ERI was still at the top of the Meadows, how would she arrive at work?"</p> <p>Train and walk? Depends upon exactly where in West Lothian she lives, but the main settlements are quite well served by rail... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17423#post-242428 Wed, 08 Feb 2017 20:23:23 +0000 wishicouldgofaster 242428@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>When the eri was at lauriston place most people would not have taken their car due to bus links being much better. In addition if staff or patients had to drive due to unsocial shifts they could usually park for nothing. Putting Edinburghs main hospital in such a location was not made in patients interests but it has certainly been a cash cow for the Pfi companies. It's nothing short of a disgrace to have to pay such parking charges if you have the misfortune to have to go there when no buses are running. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17423#post-242427 Wed, 08 Feb 2017 19:46:13 +0000 Nelly 242427@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The new bus road from Greendykes has council buses running along it. My mum can get a bus from Portobello Road to ERI via that route.</p> <p>My point about the nurse spending £100 a month on parking was poorly made, but what I was getting to was that £100 a month might not be bad compared to the alternative if the hospital had not moved.</p> <p>e.g. if the ERI was still at the top of the Meadows, how would she arrive at work?</p> <p>If she used the car it would cost her at least £2.60 an hour to park in a street - so for an 8 hour shift, some £20 per day and more like £100 a week.</p> <p>Pretty sure if she was told her parking costs would be quartered by moving to the new hospital she would be delighted !! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=17423#post-242421 Wed, 08 Feb 2017 18:44:51 +0000 I were right about that saddle 242421@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I can confirm that residential streets not even that close to ERI fill up with medics' cars of a morning. Probably visitors' cars too.</p> <p>It's not a pleasant place to approach on a bike from any direction. You do see staff on Old Dalkeith Road cycling, but they're all young, fit and assertive.</p> <p>Must be highly inaccessible by bus from many parts of town given the relative paucity of orbital services. </p>