Business as usual in city-centre car parks

4:31pm Monday 18th March 2013 in News By Adam Knight, Reporter

THE five-month closure of Garrick House multi-storey car park was, in some quarters, expected to cause chaos and overcrowding – in reality it’s business as usual for Hereford’s city centre car parks.


The 400-space Hereford car park closed for refurbishment last Monday, however following a thorough investigation by the Hereford Times, we can exclusively reveal that the remaining facilities appear to be handling the excess parking just fine.

 

This may change if construction on the Urban Village forces the popular and low-cost Merton Meadow car park to close before the 600 spaces on the Old Livestock Development opens up.

But for now, at peak time in on a Thursday morning, only two city centre car park were at capacity: Merton Meadow and Bath Street, behind the Barrels pub.

Several smaller facilities were within 10 per cent of their capacity, but the majority had between eight and fifteen spaces free – with some, notably the council car parks south of the river on Wye Street and at the Leisure Pool less than half-full.

Councillor Graham Powell appears justified in his pre-closure assertion that the city was well-equipped to deal with the increased demand.

 

However the council have also opened a temporary 60-space car park this week to the north of the closed multi-storey, which should go some way to addressing the geographical imbalance created by closing one of the few parking facilities on that side of the city centre.
 

Comments(24)

bobby47 says...
5:42pm Mon 18 Mar 13

Good for Graham. He was allways going to get it right once. Rather like trying to throw a double six. You've just gotta keep trying and eventually your luck turns.
As for the Merton Meadow being able to take up this challenge if people do become curious and visit our dysfunctional homeland, I too am confident that this parking location will cope.
But of course, the worry to all will be the unknown factors in this knotty equation of chance and throwing of dice.
If the Monsoon arrives earlier than we wish, the Yazor pipes clog up with vegetation and the Merton Meadow returns to its flooded state then it's likely that some visitors may find parking slightly difficult.
Anyway, Im genuinely pleased for Graham and like many who live in this City of Ruin, I hope that the black billowing clouds travel past our home and deposit their watery load elsewhere.

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bobby47 says...
5:57pm Mon 18 Mar 13

Gang, would you mind visiting the letter from Mr Field. It's worth your time and if you can Post a comment it would be helpful.
The writer is the Clerk to the Parish Council. It's interesting and Mr Field is further inside the tent than we can ever hope to be.
Thanks very much.

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Themightyboosh says...
6:45pm Mon 18 Mar 13

and merton meadow is full
thats because its the only cheap place to park.

it will be interesting to see what happens when there is no cheap long term parking here.

cant wait for the new diving board at the top of the multi story to open.
ill be first in the queue.

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Biomech says...
9:05pm Mon 18 Mar 13

Meh, I went to town today, no where to park so I had to risk a disabled space. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong places for spaces

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TwoWheelsGood says...
9:15pm Mon 18 Mar 13

Thursday is traditionally the quietest day of the week in the City, so not surprised at the HT's 'exclusive'. Still I'm pleased that the new £3.33 cover price is being put to good use - the cub reporter sent out on his bike to survey the City's car parks. Try a Wednesday next time, eh?

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dippyhippy says...
10:31pm Mon 18 Mar 13

I would be interested to know just what qualifies as " business as usual".

Biomech,don't get me started on parking in disabled bays - be glad you're fit,healthy, happy and wise!! Celebrate this fact by walking a little further,and not using a space intended for those less fortunate!! Moan over!!

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Biomech says...
10:38pm Mon 18 Mar 13

Oh I would have, had I have found a parking spot within 1/2 a mile. :) It's not something I make a habit of and wouldn't have done it if it wasn't literally for 6 minutes while I deposited a cheque in the bank.

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dippyhippy says...
10:43pm Mon 18 Mar 13

Top Bloke!

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swampy says...
10:59pm Mon 18 Mar 13

I also went to town at the weekend and could'nt park anywhere so went on and did my shopping in Leominster., Today I tried to park, and once again unable to so came home and did my shopping online. I feel so sorry for the people with businesses in Hereford, they don't stand a chance with this council.

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Mr.Herefordian says...
11:23pm Mon 18 Mar 13

I know I have said it before, why was the work not carried out when the old market was derelict for months. If it was down to incompetent Councillors and officers so be it. Most rate payers just sit back, have a moan and that's it, for Christ sake get a grip and write, telephone, text, email, face book, twitter, or if they have one a surgery. Hang on what's the point most of you don't vote, just moan and sit on your backside, you get what you deserve.

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William Rudd says...
11:50pm Mon 18 Mar 13

Swampy your full of bulls**t.

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William Rudd says...
12:00am Tue 19 Mar 13

Swampy.There are 2,785 car park spaces in Hereford less the 400 and you could not find a space?
Less than half the multi story is used on any day of the week,probably no more than 160 cars.

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Biomech says...
12:35am Tue 19 Mar 13

"You don't vote"... "you get what you deserve"

How does that work then? You vote these morons in that destroy things, how is that our fault?

William, you know as well as everyone else that there is an over abundance of disabled spots, despite the other parking areas.

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TwoWheelsGood says...
4:59pm Tue 19 Mar 13

It baffles me why half of the parking outside the railway station is zones for disabled - are half the population disabled?

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Ubique5740 says...
7:28am Wed 20 Mar 13

My apologies for putting the below on this story - it appears that the HT donor wish to publish it ,for whatever reason. It is in the public domain through the Court and this circulation to members of the public and others who register with the WM Police. It was circulated last Monday.

Did you know?
West Mercia has
145 Local Policing Teams


Sexual Assaults On Teenage Girls - Hereford
Men Charged Over Sexual Assaults On Teenage Girls - Hereford

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Ubique5740 says...
7:30am Wed 20 Mar 13

Apologies,here is the story.

Men Charged Over Sexual Assaults On Teenage Girls - Hereford
Two men appeared in court last week in connection with two separate sexual assaults which took place in Hereford at the end of January.
On Wednesday, 13 March, Stephen Jennings – aged 38 (DOB 03/11/1974) and of Gurney Avenue, Hereford – appeared before Hereford Magistrates’ Court charged with one count of sexual assault.
He was arrested on 5 February after a 17-year-old girl reported being assaulted as she walked along Hampton Dene Road on 31 January.
On Thursday, 14 March, Dorian Sztejnagel (DOB 15/02/1992) of Biddulph Rise, Hereford, appeared before the city’s magistrates, also charged with sexual assault.
The 21-year-old was arrested on 12 March in connection with an assault on a 17-year-old girl, which happened on Prospect Walk on 28 January.
Detective Constable Charlotte Wells from Hereford police station said: “We would like to stress that these incidents are completely unconnected and all involve different victims.
“However, they happened within just a few days of each other and as we put out witness appeals at the time, we feel that it is only right that we keep the public updated with how our investigations into these offences are progressing.
“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all those who called in and offered information about these incidents.”
Following his appearance at court, Jennings was released on bail and is set to appear before the same court on 5 June.
Sztejnagel was also charged with the attempted rape of a 14-year-old girl in connection with an entirely separate incident which took place on 9 February in the Tupsley area of the city. He was subsequently remanded in custody and is next due to appear at Worcester Crown Court on 21 March.

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Biomech says...
12:30pm Wed 20 Mar 13

"It baffles me why half of the parking outside the railway station is zones for disabled - are half the population disabled?"

Twowheels, if I'm not mistaken, all of the parking on Broad Street is now disabled spaces (excl. loading)

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incider says...
11:04am Thu 21 Mar 13

I hope everyone is aware that Merton Meadow car park will cease to exist once the 'Urban Village' is built.

A lot of misinformation has led people to believe some sort of corridor of houses will line the new access road, but leave lots of parking spaces.

Not so.

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TwoWheelsGood says...
1:48pm Thu 21 Mar 13

Correct - in fact the Council will be selling Merton Meadow to private developers.

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littlewhitebull says...
6:23pm Thu 21 Mar 13

Thanks to both incider and TwoWheelsGood for the information that Merton Meadow will cease to exist.
As you say, misinformation has clouded this issue.
I was certainly under the impression that part of the car park would be retained. How wrong I was.

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Biomech says...
8:26pm Thu 21 Mar 13

No, Motown Meadow will be gone, but on the opposite decide (ON the OLM), will be 600 spaces, check out the map on Horrorford Futiles....

http://www.herefordf
utures.co.uk/herefor
d-futures-projects/w
hat-will-be-built.as
px

Sector G!

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dippyhippy says...
9:19pm Thu 21 Mar 13

Motown Meadow - sha la la la laa!!!

Love that!

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TwoWheelsGood says...
11:50pm Thu 21 Mar 13

But those OLM parking spaces will be short stay, high cost shopping spaces.

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Biomech says...
1:09am Fri 22 Mar 13

Indeed they will, indeed they will.

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