Ancient hill ‘desecrated’ by car park
March 8, 2009
Amid a crescendo of protest, the city of Rome is about to start building a seven-storey underground car park beneath one of the city centre’s prettiest and most strategically located parks.
La Terrazza del Pincio is laid out on the summit of the steep hill overlooking Piazza del Popolo, the architectural masterpiece at the top of Via del Corso, Rome’s ancient main street. Both the park and the piazza below it were transformed by the architect Giuseppe Valadier in the 19th century after the French government then in control of the city noted the absence of well laid-out walks in the centre. The avenues are lined with oaks and pines and dotted with busts of eminent ancient Romans, and enjoy fabulous views across the city centre.
But the park is about to disappear behind high fences and, for several years, will be a building site. When the public is allowed back, the authorities claim it will be unchanged from before, but instead of earth and remains of the ancient city it will house seven floors of parking.
Believing it is still not too late, Italia Nostra, (Our Italy), an association dedicated to protecting Italy’s heritage, this week made an appeal for a suspension of the work and a re-examination of the whole project.
The association claims that the car park is being imposed on the city without proper consultation, without a thorough review of the archeological remains buried within the hill, and at the risk of damaging a vital acquifer that runs through it. It also claims it is unnecessary. As any visitor to Rome knows, many of the narrow cobbled lanes of the city are clogged with cars around the clock, despite parking restrictions that are often only theoretical. The Pincio scheme will be the third huge underground car park meant to address this congestion yet the car park under the Villa Borghese nearby is regularly half empty, the association claims.
The suspicion of some critics is that the true motivation for building a third such facility is to generate hefty construction contracts without the controversy that visible schemes attract.
Italians are conspicuously more attached to their cars than other Europeans. Recent figures published by Eurobarometer show that there are 670 cars per 1,000 Italians, a figure beaten only by the US. In Rome it is even higher, at more than 900 cars per 1,000 citizens.
Adrian Labucci, president of the Rome branch of Italia Nostra, said: “Car parks and monuments are incompatible. This is cultural vandalism.”
The city authorities say that the project will provide residential car parking for those living in central streets that are soon to be pedestrianised, and that all relevant officials backed the plan. But at the protest meeting letters were read out indicating that only outline consent had been given.
Source: http://www.independent.co.uk By Peter Popham
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NIGHTMARE parking problems
February 1, 2009
NIGHTMARE parking problems could come to an end as plans are put forward to build a commuter car park.
People living in Theydon Bois have not been able to park outside their own front door because of restrictions introduced to prevent commuters leaving cars in the area.
And commuters have been forced to drive into work rather than use the tube because there is nowhere to park their cars.
But a man from Epping could solve all of their problems with his plans to construct up to 280 spaces next to Theydon Bois tube station.
George Dilloway owns the former Old Forester Club land off Abridge road and decided the area would be ideal for a car park.
He said: “The council haven’t provided any options for car parking in the area and at the moment about 60 people are already dumping their cars there illegally everyday because there is nowhere else for them to go with all the double yellow lines. It’s a major problem.”
Mr Dilloway is hoping that Transport for London will agree to open up the entrance to the tube station to make the car park even more accessible for commuters.
He added: “If they expanded the entrance it could be on the same side of the road as the car park.
“It would also help ease the commuter problem in other areas like Epping where parking is also a nightmare. If you’re not there by 6.30am there’s no spaces left.”
The plans were welcomed by residents.
Clive Cooper from Theydon Park Road is unable to park his car outside his home because of yellow line restrictions introduced to stop commuter parking.
He said: “The restrictions prevent us from parking on our road between 10am and 11am. But that means I can’t leave my car there during the day because I can’t very well come home and move it during that time.
“If the car park solves the problem and means that these restrictions can be lifted then it’s a good thing.
“I can’t get the train to work at the moment and have to take the car, it’s nonsense. It’s affecting everyone and has caused so much disruption. Something definitely needs to be done.”
Alison Harvey from Cloverly Road in Ongar used to park in Theydon Bois before the restrictions were put in place.
But she was forced to use a friend’s driveway in Epping to get to work when the yellow lines were introduced.
She said: “I’m on maternity leave now but before I left I couldn’t find anywhere to park and had to use my friend’s drive. I didn’t want to do that forever and I was looking into somewhere else to park when I go back to work.
“It will be great if they do make a car park and will certainly put my mind at rest.”
But not everyone welcomed the plans.
A spokeswoman from Theydon Bois Action Group (TBAG) said: “The business plan for the car park is unsustainable, the car park would be of no benefit to local people, it is too far from the station and it will cause traffic problems on a dangerous stretch of the Abridge Road.
“It will not alleviate parking problems in the village as commuters will continue to park for free on our roads.
“It would have to be lit and the access road stretching uphill will cause a significant loss of openness on the Green Belt.”
People have until January 20 to submit an opinion on the car park application.
Tags: park, Free, lossRelated Posts:
Car Parking a ‘Nightmare’ for Hospital Staff
January 25, 2009
WORKERS at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary today claimed they were being threatened with £20 fines for parking in free spaces.
They will no longer be allowed to leave their vehicles in empty visitor spaces if the staff car park is full.
The new rules have left many employees fuming.
Elizabeth Lloyd, 57, a nurse at the Foresterhill site, said staff are being urged to use the park and ride scheme to get to and from work.
But she said this did not suit everyone.
She said: “The park and ride is useless for people doing early shift.
“I start at 7am and the first bus doesn’t get in until 6.50am – which is too much of a push.
“Also I can work until 10pm and the park and ride closes at 8pm. It just won’t work.”
There are currently 730 spaces for staff in the car park and 400 for patients and visitors.
The visitor car park at the hospital became free of charge on January 1 but there are 5,500 staff at the complex.
The Scottish Government told NHS Grampian to reintroduce free parking at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin.
The move followed a high-profile Evening Express campaign to scrap the charges.
Source: http://www.eveningexpress.co.uk
Tags: nightmare, Car, FreeRelated Posts:
NIGHTMARE parking problems
January 20, 2009
NIGHTMARE parking problems could come to an end as plans are put forward to build a commuter car park.
People living in Theydon Bois have not been able to park outside their own front door because of restrictions introduced to prevent commuters leaving cars in the area.
And commuters have been forced to drive into work rather than use the tube because there is nowhere to park their cars.
But a man from Epping could solve all of their problems with his plans to construct up to 280 spaces next to Theydon Bois tube station.
George Dilloway owns the former Old Forester Club land off Abridge road and decided the area would be ideal for a car park.
He said: “The council haven’t provided any options for car parking in the area and at the moment about 60 people are already dumping their cars there illegally everyday because there is nowhere else for them to go with all the double yellow lines. It’s a major problem.”
Mr Dilloway is hoping that Transport for London will agree to open up the entrance to the tube station to make the car park even more accessible for commuters.
He added: “If they expanded the entrance it could be on the same side of the road as the car park.
“It would also help ease the commuter problem in other areas like Epping where parking is also a nightmare. If you’re not there by 6.30am there’s no spaces left.”
The plans were welcomed by residents.
Clive Cooper from Theydon Park Road is unable to park his car outside his home because of yellow line restrictions introduced to stop commuter parking.
He said: “The restrictions prevent us from parking on our road between 10am and 11am. But that means I can’t leave my car there during the day because I can’t very well come home and move it during that time.
“If the car park solves the problem and means that these restrictions can be lifted then it’s a good thing.
“I can’t get the train to work at the moment and have to take the car, it’s nonsense. It’s affecting everyone and has caused so much disruption. Something definitely needs to be done.”
Alison Harvey from Cloverly Road in Ongar used to park in Theydon Bois before the restrictions were put in place.
But she was forced to use a friend’s driveway in Epping to get to work when the yellow lines were introduced.
She said: “I’m on maternity leave now but before I left I couldn’t find anywhere to park and had to use my friend’s drive. I didn’t want to do that forever and I was looking into somewhere else to park when I go back to work.
“It will be great if they do make a car park and will certainly put my mind at rest.”
But not everyone welcomed the plans.
A spokeswoman from Theydon Bois Action Group (TBAG) said: “The business plan for the car park is unsustainable, the car park would be of no benefit to local people, it is too far from the station and it will cause traffic problems on a dangerous stretch of the Abridge Road.
“It will not alleviate parking problems in the village as commuters will continue to park for free on our roads.
“It would have to be lit and the access road stretching uphill will cause a significant loss of openness on the Green Belt.”
People have until January 20 to submit an opinion on the car park application.
Tags: tube station, transport for london, CarRelated Posts:
Airport Wins Safe Parking Award
January 18, 2009
MANCHESTER AIRPORT WINS SAFE PARKING AWARD
Manchester Airport (MA) has won a “Park Mark” Award from the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) for improving the safety and facilities in its public car parking areas.
The improvements made have led to a 79 per cent reduction in vehicle crime across the airport site over the last three years.
The prestigious Park Mark Awards are only awarded to companies that have put in comprehensive measures to deter criminal activity within parking facilities.
Manchester Airport – which has space on site for 14,000 cars in its seven public car parks – has won the award following a programme of works designed to improve the safety of its facilities.
Over £250,000 has been invested in the works that include the installation of additional fencing, lighting and CCTV in hotspot areas.
John Spooner, managing director of Manchester Airport, said: “We want to provide safe and secure facilities for our customers and we’re delighted that the improvements we’ve made to our car parks have been officially recognised by this award. We will continue to work with the police to ensure that vehicle crime continues to drop across the airport site.”
Ken Upham, Greater Manchester Police’s Crime Reduction Advisor,
Manchester Airport police station said: “This award represents over
three years of partnership work between GMP and Manchester Airport to tackle vehicle crime.
“The airport have willingly taken aboard our advice and have invested
substantial funds into reducing crime on the airport car parks. As the
figures show, their efforts have paid off with a significant drop in
vehicle crime.”
Assistant Chief Constable Steve Thomas, Greater Manchester Police said:
“This award goes to show that selecting and implementing the correct
security measures can help in the reduction of crime.
“We have worked closely with our associates at Manchester Airport and our
knowledge, together with their investment, has ensured a significant
decrease in crime and created a safer place for the public to park their
cars when visiting the complex.”
ACC Steve Thomas presented the award to Manchester Airport at a ceremony on Friday 8 July.
Source: http://www.manchesterairport.co.uk
Tags: security measures, public, safetyRelated Posts:
