Solution to parking??

Font22

We all know what happened the other day with regards parking in the gravel car par.
Was talking to a few friends about it and one suggested a student card scanning system into the car parks. TBH I think its a great idea and would cut down on the amount of people that end up abandoning their cars in order to make it to lectures because outsiders park their cars and get a bus into town!!!!
I know people are going to say "just walk/cycle to college" but that isnt an option for some.
Secondly, would tarmac in the car parks and some white lines be a good idea??? I THINK SO!!!!!!!!!
So what do people think?

singingstranger

/me refers you back to Órla Ní Threasaigh's manifesto!...

elmyra

Yeah it's a great idea, there are lots of great ideas that would easily sort it out. A little bit of implementation would be nice...

Font22

aha! i didnt realise she was so insightful! clever girl that orla!

singingstranger

Font22 wrote:

aha! i didnt realise she was so insightful! clever girl that orla!

Yeah. Pity her campaign manager did such a sh1te job.

Tayto2000

The scanning idea is good, but I don't think it will provide a solution. The problem of parking and riding is there, but the main problem is sheer volume of cars. To put it in perspective, back before the economic boom, UCD was considering REDUCING the number of carparks as they were mostly empty all the time. Numbers of staff and students have risen, but not to a very large extent. What has risen is car ownership among students. When I was in first year, waaayyy back in the mists of time, final years and postgrads were the main car owners with occasional O'Carroll-Kellys in 1st year. Now, secondary schools are having to introduce previously unheard of parking restrictions on pupils bringing cars to school, never mind 3rd level colleges. The massive rise in car ownership among students is just overwhelming the parking facilities.

I would be in favour of a return to the permit system, similar to what they have in Trinity and as used by some colleges in the UK. Basically, to get a permit you have to supply your current address, and it has to be a minimum distance away barring special needs etc.

AFAIK the gravel carparks aren't tarmaced or lined because they are technically temporary carparks so don't need planning permission etc. This was mentioned before in a different thread, I think by Irlrobins?

beanyb

Well they need to get planning permission then, and before you say it, I know it's easier said than done. Every day for the past week, except yesterday, I've noticed the exact same car in the very first space in the car park by the Church. It's one of those big space wagon things, like a renault scenic or something. Anyway, everyday they park really far from the end, but not far enough that another car could park so they're taking up a ridiculous amount of space. Really frustrating when its plain to see when you're driving around searching for parking for half an hour.

Font22

i think the permit idea is great but i wud be afraid that i wudnt get one! I live in Malahide and wud cry if i cudnt drive into college. i know its not that far away but public transport is an absolute nightmare. i've lost count of lectures that i arrived late into or missed when i got the dart/bus into college in first and second year.

Sangre

Permits would work best, just give them to every student to avoid people availing of free UCD parking.
Problem with scanning is its a nightmare for guests to get in. Also would cause a backlog during heavy traffic inflow.

tintinr35

multi story car park could also work, i mean when they are considering pumping so much into this new student centre why dont they put up one of those bad boys too!!

hullaballoo

God, elections, crime, politicking, intrigue, traffic congestion, and now multi-story car parks? This is a right little mini-Dáil we have going.

tintinr35

i call taoiseach!!! ha ha ha fúckers bow down before me..........or somthing like that!!

irlrobins

Tayto2000 wrote:

AFAIK the gravel carparks aren't tarmaced or lined because they are technically temporary carparks so don't need planning permission etc. This was mentioned before in a different thread, I think by Irlrobins?

True, that and the obvious cost of having to tarmac.

And as to Sangre's idea of giving permit to every student, bad idea. People who don't have a car would just give them/sell them to non students. Best to have people to apply and pay a small fee. UCD currently have permits for 60e that allows you to park in pay and display car parks at no additional cost. 60e is a bargain if you avail if it 5 days a week all year round.

ardmacha

And they should increase safety by only selling parking permits to people with full driving licences. UCD is not a driving school.

Font22

irlrobins wrote:

True, that and the obvious cost of having to tarmac.

And as to Sangre's idea of giving permit to every student, bad idea. People who don't have a car would just give them/sell them to non students. Best to have people to apply and pay a small fee. UCD currently have permits for 60e that allows you to park in pay and display car parks at no additional cost. 60e is a bargain if you avail if it 5 days a week all year round.

didnt realise that about the permits. i'll defo look into that next year, wud save a lot of hassle.

besty

Font22 wrote:

didnt realise that about the permits. i'll defo look into that next year, wud save a lot of hassle.

See you there.

Font22

be there or be square besty!

drdre

Font22 wrote:

We all know what happened the other day with regards parking in the gravel car par.
Was talking to a few friends about it and one suggested a student card scanning system into the car parks. TBH I think its a great idea and would cut down on the amount of people that end up abandoning their cars in order to make it to lectures because outsiders park their cars and get a bus into town!!!!
I know people are going to say "just walk/cycle to college" but that isnt an option for some.
Secondly, would tarmac in the car parks and some white lines be a good idea??? I THINK SO!!!!!!!!!
So what do people think?

yes thats a great idea.but who will take this idea forward.is there any one you can talk to about this.

Font22

not sure. mite see if there is anyone in my course that cud take the issue up. something has to change, thats a given

mloc

even with permits, the numbers will still rise. talking to staff in particular about this, it seems like there is a growing consensus that proper parking facilities need to be implemented in UCD. Multi-story car parking would save a lot of campus space. In the past five years the car parks have been spreading like mad, swallowing up sports areas and playing fields.

Thankfully I'm a 1 minute walk away from campus, and I even have the benefit of living at home. I know a few people who drive into college when it would realistically be quicker for them to walk in (e.g. from roebuck castle estate area). It's a bit of waste of car parking spaces, but I know that even if charges are introduced it's not going to change the situation for them.

Mr_Roger_Bongos

I'd have to admit guilt. I live literally a stones throw from the campus, but due to my shocking lack of time management, sometimes take the car in (But only to roebuck, opposite end of campus, and only for an hour or so.I wouldn't park all day).

UCD need to come up with disincentives for people like me, something to put me off wanting to bring the car in.

mloc is right about the number of car parks spreading across campus, i mean look at the grassy bit behind the church, ITS NOW A CAR PARK!!

I'm not really sure that a multistorey is the solution, if anything it would double spaces, making it easier to park and more attractive to people who want to drive. Plus its a further blot on a campus trying to be more green!

I think the €60 year long permit is a good idea. Make the whole of ucd pay and display, with higher charges to keep people like me out. In saying that however, (and i realise im stating a stereotype) the majority of students who park, live on the south side and im not sure €60 a year would be a problem for daddy's wallet.