MEDIA RELEASE Date: 24 January 2013

TO: All Media

From: Dr Nick Chamberlain, Chief Executive

Subject: CAR PARKING AND ROADING REVIEW

The Board has approved, in principle, paid car parking to ensure that we can continue to provide adequate secure parking in a controlled environment. Our decision to introduce paid car parking is in line with DHBs of a similar size to us including Mid Central, Hawkes Bay and Hutt Valley. All large DHBs have charged staff and the public to park for some time. It is envisaged that paid car parking at Whangarei Hospital will commence late in 2013. “As you know we have been struggling to provide enough public car parking on the Whangarei Hospital campus for some years”, said Dr Nick Chamberlain, Chief Executive.

“In addition to the current shortfall of car parking for patients and their relatives, there are proposed NZTA changes to Maunu Road’s free parking, which is going to impact on staff and further increase the demand for parking”. Redevelopment of the Whangarei campus is going to have an impact on the amount of parking that will be available. The new maternity wing, laboratory, cancer centre and staff administration block developments mean that we need to redesign parking facilities and roading.

It is intended that staff will continue to have access to some free car parking, located in a designated area, with appropriate safe walkways to the campus. We will also be exploring alternative modes of transport to reduce the demand for car parking. This may include exemptions and improved facilities for people who cycle or walk to work as well as promoting public transport timetables so that people know what is available. Over the next few months we will be consulting with staff and the general public and researching what parking solutions are available to us. Matters such as the pricing schedule for staff car parking, what exemptions to paid car parking there could be, what payment methods people prefer and how far people are prepared to walk to access free car parking will be ascertained.

A new roading system will be implemented alongside the development of car parks and the implementation of paid car parking. This will reduce traffic congestion across the campus and leading onto main roads.

“While introducing paid parking may not be a popular decision, it is one that needs to be made”, Dr Chamberlain offered. “Revenue from paid car parking will help fund the additional car parks and roading changes. It will also allow us to save our very scarce capital funds for improving and renewing our clinical buildings and continue to allow us to grow and develop clinical services in an increasingly tight fiscal environment”. Members of the public are welcome to give the DHB feedback regarding the proposed changes to roading and paid car parking on this email address consultation@northlanddhb.org.nz

ENDS

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