HOSPITAL PARKING
Before (left) and after. Berry Systems said: “Naturally, any increased capacity means higher revenue for the NHS Trust operating the building, and a reduced need for space.”
and having accessible and well-maintained parking for staff is a priority. Solutions such as MSCPs are perfect for segmenting areas to allow for separate visitor and staff parking areas. Pressure on parking sites for staff will also be eased by the introduction of the Park Active scheme. The government initiative plans to work with local parking providers to provide accessible, offsite parking to NHS staff. The scheme also plans to encourage the use of public transport, and walking and cycling; this will be funded by the government’s £2 bn investment in active travel.
How should hospital car parks function?
Hospital car parks should be as user- friendly as possible. Visitors and patients are likely to be experiencing a broad variety of emotions when visiting hospitals, chief among them being stress. Issues with parking or other inconveniences can compound this, and turn a bad day into an awful one. This has a knock-on effect for both staff and other visitors. All aspects of car park management should be run as smoothly as possible to ensure not only a better user experience, but equally to help streamline the hospital’s overall process. Access and exiting efficiency are a huge concern.
If a site is unprepared for high volumes of traffic, and struggles to manage the throughput, the car park can become ‘backed up’ very quickly. This only causes more delays and further inconvenience for those waiting to get in. Specialist expertise and input during the planning application stage can help develop systems for dealing with high traffic management.
Ticket terminals Ticket terminals should be simple to use and reliable. If even one of the terminals malfunctions it can massively increase wait times in car parks. In the event of such as issue, a car park user has to travel to a different part or level of to pay for parking, which not only delays them, but also each subsequent visitor vying for a space. The same goes for the proper operation of barriers and CCTV equipment. These measures aren’t purely installed for revenue protection, but are equally there to ensure that customers and their vehicles are kept safe. The physical environment of a hospital car park is also an important consideration for NHS Trusts. Although most car parks are fundamentally functional in design, this doesn’t mean that users shouldn’t expect a certain degree of comfort and safety. Car parks should be well-lit and ventilated to maintain the safety of the site. Lighting
is vital, not only for pedestrians and staff navigating their way back to their vehicle, but also for cars parking and moving throughout the building.
Risks from poor ventilation Ventilation and airflow are of the upmost importance. Improper ventilation of car parking spaces isn’t just unsafe, but potentially dangerous too, as poor ventilation can lead to a build-up of carbon monoxide. MSCPs benefit from openings on the exterior walls to help improve airflow. These spaces are often secured with safety mesh or other types of permeable cladding, preventing accidents, without hindering interior ventilation.
Aesthetics and design Gone are the days of the Brutalist car parks of the 1970s. Nowadays, most public spaces or buildings are committed to designs that enmesh themselves well into the surrounding area, and cause as little disruption as possible, aesthetically speaking. The erection of a large structures in any area can cause friction with residents – non only in terms of how a building looks, but equally over the level of disruption it could cause as regards noise and traffic.
Car parks are now designed not only with functionality in mind, but also appearance. Given the size of the structure, it is always preferable to design a building that fits in with the area and complements the local landscape. Modern cladding solutions are able to meet ventilation and lighting requirements whilst delivering cutting-edge designs that integrate beautifully with their environment. Perforated and mesh cladding allow large amounts of natural light into a car park, and provide excellent ventilation. Perforated panelling provides a high level of design flexibility, with a large number of compositions available; such panelling also provides the perfect option for ‘green walls’.
‘The most effective option is often a move toward multi-storey car parking (MSCPs), expanding vertically, saving costs on land, and minimising disruption on site’.
48 Health Estate Journal January 2023
‘Green walls’ ‘Green walls’ and trellis systems are an increasingly popular choice for cladding
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