Description

Wiltshire Council have ambitions to create a significant transport, employment, leisure and residential hub around Chippenham Station. The plans would develop much of the current surface-level parking and thus the masterplan set out re-provision in a new multi-storey car park.

This study evaluated what additional supply may be required and the viability of that provision.

Parking Perspectives designed and undertook surveys to evaluate the existing supply and use. This included considerable weekday overnight use. Other investigations estimated demand that:

• may already exist but was being suppressed by current supply constraints,
• would arise from the electrification of the rail line and enhanced services
• would be a result of the changed land use in the hub, including offices and leisure uses.

Re-balancing Supply and Demand

One of the characteristics of the masterplan for the hub was the potential to re-balance parking supply such that it would reduce the volume of at-grade cross-track car movements. This was important given the increased frequency of crossing closures that will result with the forthcoming timetable changes.

Financial Viability

As part of the economic case for developing the hub, the Council had to understand whether the parking structure could be self-financing. A number of designs and capacity options were generated to satisfy future parking demand. These consisted of variations to height and extent of land take. Each was costed.

Capital cost alternatives were presented based on type of build (and subject to limits on height). Revenue consisted of costs of operations and maintenance in addition to ticket sales estimated based on modelled demand. A High and Low estimate was undertaken.

Each build option was tested against demand time horizons to forecast demand of the option supportive of a 60-year economic evaluation.

The final report and client presentation identified the optimum size, phasing and extent of land take.

Client: Wiltshire Council 2018

Park and Ride