The Star: April 19, 2018

20 Thursday April 19 2018
Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
The Star
Viewpoint
Readers are backing
The Star’s call for
Megan Woods and other
Christchurch Government
MPs to move faster to solve
the disgraceful hospital
park and ride situation
David Collins – Parking
for Christchurch Hospital has
been an ongoing problem now
for more than seven years ever
since the hospital multi-story car
park building was closed due to
earthquake damage.
This is a problem for hospital
patients, visitors and for staff.
While there is quite a good bus
service to the hospital, which
may help visitors to the hospital,
this does not help the staff, who
are either starting at 6.30am for
the morning shift, or finishing
at 11.30pm from the afternoon
shift.
Changing buses through the
bus exchange isn’t an option at
those times, so the staff have to
drive to work, then have to compete
with contractors working
on all the new buildings going
on around that area. Plus the few
on-street parking spaces close to
the hospital are being removed
to make way for cycle lanes etc in
an attempt to encourage people
to cycle to work. Would you
want to work eight to 9 hours
– often working through meal
breaks due to heavy patient loads
and then have to cycle 10km
BRAVING ELEMENTS: Hospital patients and visitors want action
on the park and ride in Deans Ave. PHOTO: MARTIN HUNTER
home in the dark in the rain, in
the middle of winter, and possibly
contend with drunk drivers?
Staff are finding they are having
to park further and further
away from the hospital and there
have been instances of staff being
attacked in the park as they
walk back to their cars. Imagine
how much worse parking will be
when the metro sports complex
gets built (removing most of the
staff afternoon car park by the
old brewery site) with morning
shift staff then having to fight for
parking with the gym bunnies
calling in for their pre-work
workouts. What has been needed
is for the old multi-story car
park to be rebuilt and this is
something that has been talked
about for several years now. In in
the meantime, using one of the
new car park buildings in town
and running the shuttle bus
from there, which would have
smoother surfaces and a covered
area to wait for the shuttle. It is
time to stop talking about the
problem and time to start fixing
the problem.
Ann Mason – The parking
should have been sorted before
the building started and that was
under National. Miracles were
not expected of National so why
should they be for Labour. Nine
years v six months. Get real.
Marilyn-Richard Hore – I
am a parent of a cancer kid. I
can’t use this as she would be
at risk of infection before you
consider the condition of the
grounds and she uses crutches
on a good day and a wheelchair
on bad. I
always leave
an hour
before time
to go into the
hospital and
walk miles. I’m
not looking
forward to
winter. Come
on CDHB,
council, Government,
we
need help now.
Debbie Costello – The
parking at Christchurch Hospital
has always been unbelievably
bad. My daughter is now 29 and
when she was born we had to
go there regularly. No point in
blaming any political party. Just
wonder who the idiots are that
plan a hospital and keep on expanding
it but don’t give a toss
about parking. I love trees but
time has come to cut a few down
right beside the hospital and put
up a multi-storey car park. Think
before you comment because this
has been going on for years. It’s
not just an earthquake problem.
It’s stupid town planning.
Alistair Price – I suggested to
the powers that be last year that a
hospital shuttle should run from
the bus exchange to the hospital.
Those that required hospital
care or visiting could bus into
the exchange or drive in and
use the car park
buildings. The
idea was basically
rubbished by the
decision-makers
as there are three
buses which pass
the hospital from
the exchange. I
still think it is a
simple solution
to a disgraceful
problem.
Ross Andrew – There is a
nice pristine council car-park
building in Lichfield St, which
is reported to be pretty well
empty most of the time. Unlike
that poor excuse for a car-park
currently used, it is undercover
and is closer for those who want
to walk.
But I know it would never
work, it is commonsense and the
CDHB and city council (there for
the people) might have to talk to
each other.
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