What to do with an Ageing Multi-Storey

They are going to need some significant investment to keep them structurally sound. But even then they will still have those narrow bays and tight ramps and are generally disliked by many drivers. Moreover, it is not certain that they will be suitable as cars get heavier and fire guidance is updated.

Parking Perspectives have been working with several local authorities on Parking Estate Plans. These have considered the options open to the authority to actively re-configure the car parks they operate so as to deliver a long-term estate that supports the delivery of their strategic objectives.

What does this mean in practice?

Some authorities are refurbishing their older multi-storeys. They are not ideal, but continue to be used and accepted by many drivers every day.

Refurbishing the car park improves the user experience

Others are carrying out repairs and modernisation and as part of that, moving over to 2 wider bays between pillars designed for 3. They are using this as a conscious approach to not only address structural concerns relating to the increasing weight of vehicles, provide greater separation in the event of fire and to improve customer experience, but also as part of their plan to reduce capacity in particular areas of the city.

Essex Wide Bays: Converting 3 to 2

Other authorities are replacing the older structure with something new. Fareham Borough Council have announced their decision to demolish their Osborn Road multi-storey car park. It is being replaced with a surface car park with larger parking bays (Parking Review Jan 24).

Demolition

Options for the Facility

We know that drivers are prepared to pay more for wider bays. We have been doing surveys with drivers in two car parks in Essex to get an indication of what drivers are prepared to pay for wider bays and easier ramps. The analysis is being undertaken by a Dutch academic. We intend to publish quantified results later this year.

This means that reconfiguring existing structures to have wider bays, undertaking remedial works to improve the ease of circulation or making the more significant step in providing a totally new structure with contemporary dimensions, may be financed by new tariff options reflective of the better user experience.

Options for the City

But the decision is not just about the facility. Demolition, presents a clear option to release the land for other uses, including housing. That could be important. It may be that the city could afford to lose some capacity just now. Otherwise, the capacity lost could be replaced to some extent elsewhere, but in a location more in keeping with the urban realm ambitions to repurpose how city centre streets are used. It may be that the ageing car park is now not in the best place, drawing traffic into the city centre when this is no longer suitable.

Cars queueing for a town centre car park

In some instances, retention of the structure as is, notwithstanding the need to provide adequate care to it to ensure it is properly maintained, presents a suitable choice. It may be that despite the costs of renewal, the narrow bays and ramps, the car park is in a good location and well-used.

Making Informed Choices

To make these choices, we have been forecasting the demand for parking over the long-term and collating the evidence to evaluate the options for each location in terms of strategic fit, financial impacts and social value. Our starting point is to identify how much capacity is actually needed, and where it should ideally be. The condition of the structure, and the opportunity presented by that and other sites, then becomes a consideration.

Our work with a number of authorities on these matters shows that there is a commonality in the need to make some significant decisions, but that the aims and contextual issues at play are different in each location.

Sharing Learning

At the recent Landor conference “Car Parks 2024” earlier this  year in London we set out some of the options and associated considerations. We will be presenting more on this subject at the Transport Practitioners’ Meeting in Manchester in July. https://transportconference.co.uk/

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