"But rather than accept a 20 per cent reduction in the 136 planned spaces at the pool, council officers wish to expand the site."
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » General Edinburgh
Council plans to borrowing money for car parking
(27 posts)-
Posted 12 years ago #
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Probably not a bad call.
RCP will be one of only three (AFAIK) 50m pools in Scotland (Stirling Uni and Tolcross, Glasgow). Swimmers will travel considerable distances to swim there in the wee small hours when public transport isn't an option.
There will also be (fairly) major competitions there with swimmers/coaches/spectators travelling still further also at odd times.
Decent car/bus parking is a must for such a facility, as is bike parking, of course.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Yes buggys are now so big that they require bigger car parking spaces to allow them down the side.
I saw a buggy the other day with double wishbone suspension on the rear wheels, something normally reserved for racing cars!
Back on topic, what is more curious is that there isn't any "give" in the funding to allow for this 0.44% cost increase to change the car parking layout.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Sorry can't resist: yesterday I saw a lady pumping up her buggy's tyre with a bicycle pump. I didn't even know buggies came with inflatable tyres...
Posted 12 years ago # -
Given that there's a bus stop right outside the pool, why on earth is it a problem to reduce normal car parking space by 20%? Any overspill from 'out of town' can always park in the nearby cycle lane instead...
Posted 12 years ago # -
"Given that there's a bus stop right outside the pool, why on earth is it a problem to reduce normal car parking space by 20%?"
I'm not sure what the bus times are. Certainly the pool used to open at 6(?) (shows how long it is since I've taken an early bus - the joy of riding a bike!).
Posted 12 years ago # -
I didn't even know buggies came with inflatable tyres...
I was much amused once in TBC when a "customer" came in with a buggy that had "a flat" and asked for it to be fixed please. I am assured it is a regular occurence and that they carry the correct sizes of tubes for such eventualities.
Posted 12 years ago # -
I'd be very surprised if the car park was full at 6am. It is more likely to be oversubscribed at peak times which are likely to be peak bus times too.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Probably more chance of getting a space at very-early-o'clock, even if there are fewer spaces.
Some of the commenters missing the point. Someone saying he'll do the job for 50 quid. Go on then...
Also, the usual comments about "why so many disabled spaces?". The point is that if you are disabled then no parking space can be a big deal - hence there is a need to over provide. Parking at the far end of the car park isn't a problem for most of us.
Posted 12 years ago # -
yep, our buggy has inner tubed tyres, have to get tubes with special bent valves to work round the wheel design. Thankfully have never had a puncture. They are fairly run-flat tyres though, don't need a lot of air to still be pushable.
Posted 12 years ago # -
@cc - most of the larger buggies have pneumatic tyres (Schraeder valve inner tubes) and come with mini versions of traditional cycle pumps (with the wee flexi hose). The small compact ones like McLarens have solid rubber tyres. Never had a puncture on a buggy, but they do need pumping every couple of months or so.
As a parent whilst I find the big '4 x4' type buggies handy for longer distance walking, I fail to understand why people transport these monsters around by car. Even folded up they are huge bulky things which don't fit in most car boots without a bit of disassembly (estate cars and people carriers excepted). I suppose if you have a big monster 4 x 4 vehicle then you 'need' a big buggy to go with it...
Posted 12 years ago # -
I'd be intrigued to know what these revised "regulations" are - I'm not aware of any changes being made to building standards, the traffic signs direction, British Standard 8300 or the Council's own parking standards as they relate to disabled persons' parking bays. I'm certainly surprised to hear there are regulations governing the size of parent and child car parking spaces - first time I've heard that.
Posted 12 years ago # -
"I'd be very surprised if the car park was full at 6am. It is more likely to be oversubscribed at peak times which are likely to be peak bus times too."
Fair point.
Posted 12 years ago # -
"I'm certainly surprised to hear there are regulations governing the size of parent and child car parking spaces "
Perhaps it's not the size but the number of such spaces that is the issue?
There appear to be 'currently' 5 disabled spaces and 11 Parent and Child spaces
Posted 12 years ago # -
Where exactly will this expanded car park go? Eating up green space perhaps?
Posted 12 years ago # -
Is it not the space already in place round the back of the Commi
many years since i went but it used to be round the back where the flumes came out the building.Posted 12 years ago # -
In the council report’s proposals, which will be voted on on Tuesday, Alastair Maclean, director of corporate governance, says: “The previous known demand for car parking spaces, coupled with the expected increase in customer visits, suggests that work to extend the rear car park will have a positive impact on income, usage and customer satisfaction, and that any environmental impact should be offset by other customers using alternative ways to travel to the Royal Commonwealth Pool.”
What a load of ****.
I'm all for there being adequate disabled parking. A more radical idea would be for it to all be disabled parking. Anyone who doesn't require their car as a substitute for fully functional limbs and is fit enough to swim is fit enough too walk from the bus stop. As a competition pool, with grandstands, you are never going to come near there being enough parking spaces for everyone who would drive given the chance. So why try?
Most importantly, how many bicycle racks will there be?
Posted 12 years ago # -
Back off topic ;-) We've come by a couple of pneumatic tyred buggies for when Smudge minor appears, used the track pump and all tyres appear to hold air, however looking ahead, anyone know how easy they are to change/get replacement tubes? Hopefully an academic question....
Posted 12 years ago # -
plenty of pram tubes on eBay
Posted 12 years ago # -
@Smudge, some bike shops stock them, there are also specialist pram shops. Otherwise Amazon or fleaBay should suffice...
Posted 12 years ago # -
@kaputnik, what he really means is that the folk who used to use the car park will be up in arms if they can't get their old spaces back. Must be worth quarter of a million to buy them off, surely?
Sigh.
Posted 12 years ago # -
New tubes in buggy wheels was a regular job at TBC. The ones with the bent valves are by far the best, otherwise fitting a pump can be a bit iffy. Got to be a bit careful with air pressure too. Go by what it says on the rim/wheel, NOT the tyre!!!
Posted 12 years ago # -
I feel sure the pool will charge for the car park at a rate that will keep it less than full during the day. On-street parking is available at 6AM of course..just right for a swim and tour of the seat.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Kaputnik " I'm all for there being adequate disabled parking"
I would also extend the parent / child parking with both these benefiting from spaces previously 'normal' spaces.
Regarding parent/child car parking, the reason (i think) for the larger space is not primarily for buggies but is to allow other car drivers improved sight lines to spot small children running around as they enter/exit the parents car.
+1 crowrivers comment on buggy size, some are crazy - we always took the smallest possible if driving anywhere - but some parents are more of the 'kitchen sink' variety !
Posted 12 years ago # -
"I feel sure the pool will charge for the car park at a rate that will keep it less than full during the day"
Did they charge before?
Posted 12 years ago # -
I thought the extra space around parent/child spaces was to leave space for parking a buggy and for it to be safe to leave a door fully-opened for a couple of minutes to allow easier access to car seats whilst loading/unloading/fastening/wiping/wrangling without having to worry about someone steaming into the next-door space and breaking the door off at the hinges.
Posted 12 years ago # -
"Did they charge before?"
No charge when I last used it but that was probably over eight years ago.
Could be quite hard to get a space I seem to remember.Posted 12 years ago #
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