Parking

steviec

Just got an allstudents mail about complaints from local residents about students parking on their streets and thought I'd see what other people thought of the current parking situation in DCU.

As a final year student with a paid up place in the multistory carpark I'm not too badly effected but it can be very annoying at times. I have missed lectures this year while trying to find a parking space, even within the multistory.

The situation is this: Last year, parking was already difficult. This year, they've closed one of the carparks beside res to be available only to sports centre members(its usually half empty), while the other res carpark is frequently swamped with students trying to get a space and often forced to park illegally, for which DCU security ocassionally hand out fines(in fairness they've been more lenient this year in light of the current situation)

Meanwhile, the two main carparks can now take half an hour to get to in traffic from res(assuming you, as I often have, arrive at res only to find it overflowing), due to the fact that they've barricaded the route from one side of the college to the other. I understand that they don't want commuters taking shortcuts through the college but how difficult would it have been to add a card reader to the barricade by Albert College and allow staff and students access?

Meanwhile, at peak times you need to pray to get parking in Henry Grattan and even the multistory(for which I have paid for a supposedly guaranteed space for the year) is occassionally full. I seriously don't know how anyone who can't afford to be paying for the multistory manage at all.

The situation last year when there was an extra carpark, easy travel between carparks and also I believe students had access to the Invent centre carpark(I never needed it but I think thats true) was worlds apart from what we're coping with this year, just wondering if anyone else agrees?

d@rk l0rd

Had parking pass last year but as I'm only in DCU once or twice a week now at most, I didn't bother getting one this year.
Too expensive to park in multi-storey unless you'rejust on a flying visit - impossible to get into any of the other car parks unless you're there ultra early.

So I am one of those guilty of now parking in the estates.

mayhemnow

steviec i'm surprised there hasn't been uproar about this already - interesting to hear people's views on this, especially the SU.

Firstly I would say hit reply all on the all staff e-mail and remind whoever sent it that as a car driver, you pay road tax, and that entitles you to park on any public road in any area in any county in this country. That is your entitlement. You can park outside whoever's house, and they can complain as much as they like, you have the right.

Secondly, why is there an empty underground car park sitting under the sports complex car park?? And there are definitely certain cars in that car park all day, surely not all attending the gym for 7 hours a day me thinks.

Thirdly, why are selected cars getting clamped when others that are parked just as illegally are not? How is this remotely fair - its €80 which I could live on for a week.

Why is the SU not putting pressure on the college about this issue? Parking is beyond a joke this year and its about time something was done about it. Not even car pooling has been suggested.

lego

DCU has four car parks. Carpark 1 is a multi-storey carpark beside the business school, carpark 2 is located beside the Henry Grattan building, carpark 3 is located beside the invent centre and carpark 4 is an underground carpark underneath the student residences.
In addition there are two motorcycle parks on campus, one is located near the Bea Orpen building while the other is located at the business school. There is also a bus park near the research and engineering building. Special Guest parking is located at the Albert College Building.

Carpark 1, carpark 2, the bus park and the business school motorcycle park may be accessed from the Collins Avenue entrance while carpark 3, carpark4, the special guest parking and the motorcycle park beside the Bea Orpen building may be accessed from the Ballymun Road entrance.

rugbug86

thats all well and good, but can everyone access all the carparks? i thought the one under res was just for the sports club users, and that the one beside the invent is just for staff.

*shrugs*

steviec

rugbug86 wrote:

thats all well and good, but can everyone access all the carparks? i thought the one under res was just for the sports club users, and that the one beside the invent is just for staff.

*shrugs*

The one outside res is just for sports centre users. The one under res is just plain closed. It's been there a couple of years now, I don't know what they're waiting for to open it up.

mayhemnow

while carpark 3, carpark4, the special guest parking and the motorcycle park beside the Bea Orpen building may be accessed from the Ballymun Road entrance

what are carpark 3 & 4 and can anyone park there??

hardCopy

It's been a pain in the ass this year, I have a year long pass for the multistory and on several occasions have had to give up and park elsewhere, illegally. In fairness to the guys in security they've been sound about it and anytime I've done it I've complained at the car park and they just asked me where I had to park and promised not to clamp me.

Surely there should be some kind of quota system in place to ensure that there are enough spaces in the multi-story for pass-holders. Most of my lectures started at 10 or 12 o'clock this year and if there is any kind of conference on in the college it's usually impossible to get a space at these times.

Ste.phen

mayhemnow wrote:

what are carpark 3 & 4 and can anyone park there??

My God you're dim....
The post you're replying to contained this nugget of information:

lego wrote:

DCU has four car parks. Carpark 1 is a multi-storey carpark beside the business school, carpark 2 is located beside the Henry Grattan building, carpark 3 is located beside the invent centre and carpark 4 is an underground carpark underneath the student residences.

Some people....

mayhemnow

misinformation idiots - car park 4 is not the underground car park, that's why i was asking to see if anyone could clarify. ASSH*LE

Ste.phen

Hmm, let's split the difference:
There is no official DCU "car park 4".
However, the 4th Car Park on campus (after Car Park #s 1 through 3) is the underground carpark for the sports centre.

Ref: the original plans for the carpark/swimming pool/sports centre: http://www.dcu.ie/alumni/winter02/p27.html