05 Nov, 2015

New Conditions To Ease Pressure On Parking At The Women’s And Children’s Hospital

A solution has been reached to relieve the parking pressures for visitors and staff at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital.

A new permit system and dedicated on-street parking on MacKinnon Parade in North Adelaide will be introduced for hospital day-shift workers from 4 January 2016 which aims to increase the parking capacity in the car park.

City of Adelaide General Manager, Strategic Finance and Business Services Peter Scargill said that he was pleased a positive outcome had been reached.

“This has been a collaborative approach between Council and the hospital to develop a solution that works for workers and visitors to the hospital, as well as other people who need to park in the area,” Mr Scargill said.

“There is no single way to solve all the parking issues so a number of strategies will be implemented to ensure the most effective use of the parking available.”

Women’s and Children’s Health Network, Executive Director of Corporate Services, Phil Robinson said the new parking solution will create additional spaces in the Kermode St Medical Centre Car Park for both visitors and afternoon and night-shift workers.

“The new parking arrangements will address the long standing issue raised by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation with respect to the safety of nurses who currently park on the street or move their cars into the car park during their afternoon shift,” Mr Robinson said.

In April this year, the Women’s and Children’s Hospital engaged independent car parking expert, Luxmoore Parking and Safety to review the parking arrangements at the hospital and provide recommendations to increase the parking capacity in the car park.

One of the strategies recommended by Luxmoore Parking and Safety was the introduction of a permit system and a dedicated on-street parking zone for hospital staff.

“The Women’s and Children’s Hospital and the City of Adelaide have been working closely with unions and independent car parking expert Luxmoore Parking and Safety to resolve the ongoing parking problems at the hospital,” Mr Robinson said.

“We are confident this strategy will go a long way to best meet the needs of visitors and staff.”

City of Adelaidelor Anne Moran said these new measures would improve safety for nurses while easing parking worries for parents of sick children.

“I am pleased that we have been able to work together with the hospital to come up with a solution,” Councillor Moran said.

“Hospital visitors need flexibility so parking is not an additional thing that they have to worry about, and nurses need to be able to park safely and close to their workplace.

“My concern and that of Council has always been for the safety of the wonderful nurses at the WCH. These new strategies will help to improve parking for all hospital users.”

MacKinnon Parade parking permits will be issued to hospital day-shift workers at a discounted daily rate of $7 compared to the $16 a day rate to park in the Medical Centre Car Park.

“Up until now, it has been cheaper for staff to park in the car park than it is to park on the street, resulting in the car park being full before 9am on week days,” Mr Robinson said.

“We are confident many day-shift workers will choose to park in the staff permit zone on MacKinnon Parade as they will get an all-day park for $7 in short walking distance from the hospital.”

Luxmoore Parking and Safety will review the new parking arrangements in March 2016 to ensure they are meeting the car parking needs for both staff and visitors.

The independent car parking expert also recommended that the casual parking fees in the Medical Centre Car Park be increased in collaboration with the City of Adelaide to ensure a differential between on street and off street parking.

From 4 January 2016, the casual hourly rate will increase by $1 for each category except for the 5+ hours where the increase will be $4. The last fee increase was in August 2010.

WCHN Media