Opinion: Will one more car park really solve the QE’s woes?

Filed under: Opinions

This is an opinion article originally printed as a letter to the editor in the 27 December 2024 edition of the Birmingham Mail.

There has been an increase in focus to the parking situation at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital with the Hospital committing to build another car park to solve it. Will this solve the problem? I’d suggest it’s an easy short-term commitment which kicks the can down the road.

To build another car park will lock in several thousands of car journeys every day – on a surrounding road network that’s struggling under pressure following a series of unfortunate planning decisions. We generally accept that road capacity isn’t achieved by widening roads – so why build another car park?

There are many who need to drive to the hospital but there are also many who could take alternative modes of transport. Think 9-to-5 non-clinical staff, researchers, ambulatory outpatients and visitors. By creating alternatives to driving, this should free up existing car parks for those who do need to use them.

How might we avoid another car park? Parking controls, trains, buses and cycle lanes.

I’ve heard rumours that the hospital-managed parking permit scheme is abused and with a bit of auditing could remove free parking from staff who don’t qualify anymore.

The Mayor is about to become even more involved in defining the train network for our region. Reinstating a ten-minute train service would be useful. We should even consider creating a circular route between New Street, University, Camp Hill stations and New Street.

Longbridge Park and Ride is vastly underused. Transport for West Midlands could offer a discount to hospital staff, patients and visitors. They could even work with West Midlands Trains to offer a special train fare to University station.

Under franchising, the Mayor could create new bus services that better meet the needs of the hospital through routes, timetables and priority measures to ensure reliability. Park and ride sites to the hospital could also be helpful.

And finally, for those who are able to cycle, co-investing in the local network could be a cheaper way of solving the parking crisis for those who live nearby. A network of proper cycle routes that go to where people live will provide a safe way to cycle to work. And no, white lines on pavements as exist around the campus today are not that infrastructure.

People who cycle are at lower risk of hospitalisation, heart disease, and needing psychiatric drugs. People who can cycle using separated lanes are clearly less likely to be involved in a collision and need emergency treatment. This is a long-term saving.

The QE Hospital needs to seriously ask itself: how much of the campus are we eventually willing to give up to car parks, or is this an opportunity to be bold?

Some might decry my alternative vision, which I would point out works well in places like London. I hope that QE Hospital seriously considers that there is another way, even though it might be more effort than signing off another car park.

Further ideas

Since the letter was printed, some on social media have made excellent additions to the letter, such as:

• Installing more secure cycle parking around the campus
• Providing wheelchairs for use from University Station

What would you suggest that, if you could, would help you to not drive to the QE?