'Neither attractive nor convenient': Travel bodies criticise Shrewsbury hospital cycle parking plans
Health bosses could have to re-work parts of their travel plans for a major hospital re-development after concerns from a government department and local campaigners.
Shrewsbury & Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) has applied for permission for major changes to Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH), as part of its 'Future Fit' hospitals transformation process.
The application is currently being considered by Shropshire Council, which is expected to make a decision on the multi-million pound plans in due course.
But both Sustainable Transport Shropshire (STS) and Active Travel England (ATE) have highlighted issues they want addressed before the proposal are approved.
STS has written in objection to the plans, while ATE has requested a deferral until a revised transport assessment is provided.
The SaTH proposal for the hospital includes a 30,000 square metre building, which will be constructed next to the current main entrance, housing women’s and children’s services, an acute medical unit and intensive therapy unit, and linking to a re-modelled and expanded A&E department.
The STS objection details a number of issues around access and infrastructure for people cycling or getting a bus to the hospital – including the lack of charging points for electric cars or bikes.
Its submission states: "As this development is to equip the hospital for the next several decades it is essential that a facility catering to people arriving from distant rural areas, sometimes at short notice, should have car and cycle charging built in to some of the parking provision for staff and for patients/visitors."
The issue of cycle parking and its location is raised by both STS and ATE.
The ATE submission says: "The cycle parking facilities proposed for the development appear neither attractive for users nor conveniently located for the entrances to the hospital, appearing to be relegated to the edge of the red line boundary, seemingly as an afterthought, whilst not all cycle parking spaces are covered."
STS said: "The only new cycle parking mentioned in the application is proposed for locations beyond the southern tip of the building furthest from the main entrance. This may be a suitable location for staff if they can use secondary entrances, however it does not appear to be secure nor reassuringly located in an area of high pedestrian activity."
It added: "Patients and visitors will use the building’s main entrance and cycle parking must be as close as feasible to the main entrance."
STS also says the cycle parking should work for a number of bikes, stating: "We should like to see secure, covered cycle parking for cycles of all designs, close to the main entrance for the public and to busy secondary entrances for staff."
The ATE also calls for more shower facilities for staff who do cycle to work.
It states: "It is assumed that the staff changing and shower facilities for cyclists are shared with those that are provided for all employees as shown to the northern end of the first floor layout.
"Whilst this is understandable, the provision of one male staff shower and one female shower is wholly inadequate for the level of cycling that this development should be promoting and again will do little to encourage active travel."
STS also raises concern about plans for the location of a new bus stop – to replace one which will be demolished by the main entrance.
It states: "We note that the existing bus shelter and pull in adjacent to the Outpatients Entrance is to be demolished. The proposed replacement by the helipad is not an improvement, not even a like for like. The application shows no shelter and it requires people using the bus services to cross the main road through the site.
"This needs to be rethought. The covered walk way integrated into the ground floor of the new structure would be ideal for people awaiting, or disembarking from, a bus. The bus stop needs to be relocated to be adjacent to the building rather than opposite it."
The plans for the new development will take the number of cycle space at the hospital to 154.
The 2022 SaTH travel surveys shows that 3.9 per cent of SaTH staff travelled to work by bike.
