Question reference: S3W-00881
- Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 12 June 2007
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Current status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 18 June 2007
Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the monies raised by car parking charges introduced by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde will be spent on (a) improving car parking facilities, (b) improving transport facilities or (c) helping to reduce the current debt owed by the NHS board.
Answer
The introduction ofcar parking charging, or revision of existing arrangements, is a matter for NHSboards in light of local circumstances. Car parking charging should not be introducedas a means of generating income but may be justified if the income generated isused by the board to cover any significant costs in providing parking facilities(e.g. capital charges, maintenance costs, administration costs, security costs,security lighting, CCTV); to cover the cost of providing new or improved parkingfacilities or making existing facilities more secure; or to better manage car parkingfacilities by discouraging unauthorised users (e.g. fly-parkers) but in so doing,measures taken to discourage unauthorised users must not be detrimental to the carparking arrangements for staff, patients, carers and visitors.
In all cases chargesshould reflect a reasonable balance between the perceived needs of staff, patientsand visitors, the general cost of car parking in the area, and the costs of maintainingcar parking facilities.
NHS boards must beable to demonstrate the level of income generated from car parking and how it hasbeen utilised. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has confirmed that income from the charges imposed would be pooled acrossthe hospital sites and used exclusively to fund improvements to parking, transportand traffic management.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is to negotiatewith the public transport providers for new or extended services and provide publictransport information on-site, both paper based or electronic. It also intends toprovide information on sustainable transport options given and information on existingshuttle bus services currently in operation.
The introduction of the Car Parking policy by NHS GreaterGlasgow and Clyde NHS board will see the creation of 350 new jobs and the new income will be investedin ambitious environmentally friendly transport solutions to tempt more staff outof their cars including:
Interest free instalment plan to buy Strathclyde Passenger TransportZone Cards.
Develop managed staff car share schemes.
Introduction of expanded hospital pool-car scheme.
Develop inter-hospital staff shuttle bus service.
Interest free bike loans.