Pressure on Parking

Loving - as we do here at Aberdeen Cars - all things American, we very often read the New York Times for updates from 'across the pond'. So we were utterly horrified to read this article: "Europe Stifles Drivers in Favor of Alternatives" which details the cancer of "pedestrianization" which is creeping across continental Europe. Like us, the NYT adopts an incredulous tone in its reportage of some of the madcap antics of the Europeans:

...With politicians and most citizens still largely behind them, Zurich’s planners continue their traffic-taming quest...

The article cites a study "European Parking U-Turn Reaps Rewards", which details the growth of parking restrictions in the centres of some continental European cities and the way the way in which:

...European cities are reaping the rewards of innovative parking policies, including revitalized town centers; big reductions in car use; drops in air pollution and rising quality of urban life.

Well, thank goodness we don't have to put up with that sort of nonsense here in Aberdeen where extra new car-parking facilities in the city centre are rolled out on a continuous basis. For employees on their way to another vital day of spreadsheet-wrangling-of-national-importance in their tasteful cubicles, there's the company underground carpark. Recent developemnts at the IQ on Justice Mill Lane and Union Plaza on Union Row have seen the roll-out of well over a thousand of these employer-subsidised places, and we've noticed cheeky new underground carparks appearing on Diamond Street, Huntly Street, Langstane Place, underground Union Street (access from Union Row), Windmill Brae, The Green, Castlegate, Shiprow, Queen's Lane, John Street, Queen's Street, oh and probably other super-secret spots too. We particularly like the way that the lower-ground floor of the impressive Lloyds Register building on Union Terrace is now a car-park accessed from Diamond Street. You'd never tell from the listed Union Terrace frontage! Super-Secret!

But let's not forget about consumers! They are the source of all economic growth, and so must be coddled frictionlessly (and without going outside if at all possible) from their TV-lounge to shopping mall point-of-sale. Therefore, we're delighted to report that, since the opening of the Union Square shopping centre with it's extensive indoor multi-story parking facilities (1700 spaces - park all evening and night for just £1) there is an oversupply of covered-in consumer parking in central Aberdeen, with the variable matrix signs (strategic locations around the city centre) rarely showing less than 3000 spaces available to the all-important consumer.

We're proud and inspired that this policy of over-provision of parking space in the city centre is being pioneered here in Aberdeen - yes, that's the carrot, but we also like the stick. In order to encourage the good drivers of nice Aberdeen Cars to take those lovely cars all the way into the city centre and make use of all the high-quality new parking spaces, we note the spread of under-provision in some out-of-town shopping destinations.

For instance, at the Danestone Tesco, just take a look at these absurdly small spaces occupied by the driver of Aberdeen Car Range Rover V8 "Supercharged Autobiography" (oooooh!) reg SV60OBY, with it's 5 litre engine:

With thanks to citizen contributer "Iain" who hit the citizen contribution hot-link and emailed aberdeencars@gmail.com to provide us with this image. As "Iain" says:

An adept parking maneuver, cleverly taking up two spaces with a cheeky yet skilful diagonal placement. Perhaps an oblique (excuse the pun) comment on the absurdly small parking spaces that so-called planners are providing these days?

Yes, at first you might think this is a sinister anti-car policy. But we think that it's actually rather clever and subtle. We think that the planners know what they're doing here and that this is part of the strategy - we all want urban renewal, don't we? We all have our qualms about the growth of out-of-town shopping, isn't that so? By their provision of these absurdly small parking spaces, the town planners are looking to encourage the uptake of driving cars like these into the very heart of the city centre where there are plenty suitable parking spaces. Traffic flows in the centre of town demonstrate vibrancy and if the cars are really really nice, like this one, we can be proud to look on the busy roads of our town centre as demonstrating that ours is a city on the up-and-up. A city with "bustle". A city that's going somewhere, and knows where it's going - it's going shopping! Without wearing a coat!

More, more! Faster, faster!

That's why we look forward very much to the forthcoming City Square Project which, via the gift of comprehensive redevelopment, will contribute to the continuous improvement of the motoring environment in central Aberdeen by it's provision of several hundred new, high quality, secure, underground parking spaces in the space currently occupied by useless, hated, Union Terrace Gardens.

Some say that the gardens are not the problem, and that the Dual Carrageway should be 're-allocated' for pedestrian use, but we say: "What's wrong with you? Are you too poor to afford a nice car, then?".

If you own a nice Aberdeen Car and like driving it in the city centre; if you want to fight back against the sinister forces of roadspace re-allocation; if you just hate cyclists and pedestrians; or if you think that Global Warming is an EU conspiracy you should join our campaign to "Save the Denburn Dual Carriagway!" (Like us on FaceBook, follow us on Twitter)

Where's the car-park?

We take our duties as activists working to "Save the Denburn Dual Carriageway!" very seriously. ('Like' us on FaceBook, 'follow' us on Twitter.) So we've been doing our research with great diligence.

Having been heartened by the sight of the large car-park shown in the feasibility study documents (big pdf) used to promote the "City Square Project" we were shocked to see the website being used to promote the project, now re-branded "City Gardens Project". We've looked long and hard and can find no mention of a car-park. There's talk of public transport links, pedestrian routes, buses and trains, but nothing about cars. What's going on?

Well, there's a crumb of comfort to grab hold of with open arms - the website says that the feasibility documents - which show the super big car park which we like so much - are "accurate". So, we have to assume that the lack of mention of the much needed carparking facilities - it's really hard to find a space when you go shopping - and the boosting of public transport and the other vegetarian-friendly transport options are just greenwash, pure and simple. Greenwash which is designed to appease the hippy artist-lovers who oppose the project and want to turn the Denburn Dual Carrageway into a cycle lane and bridleway.

But we know better, we know that the car-park remains! The Denburn Dual Carriageway is safe!

Thank Ford for that!

A Super Big New Car Park!

This sends out the totally wrong message about Aberdeen.

As part of our duties as promoters of the "Save the Denburn Dual Carriagway!"  pressure group (like us on FaceBook, follow us on Twitter), we were passed this document (great big nasty PDF) which put our mind to rest a little bit about the redeveloment of Union Terrace Gardens and the prospects for saving the Denburn Dual Carriageway.

Deep within the document, we found this sight to gladden our eyes - this is what will replace that underused park in the city centre:

Ah, that's better!
That's the bottom deck.

Where the useless grass is at the moment.

As you can see from the pictures, plans for the development in Union Terrace Gardens include a lovely big new car park where we can put our nice cars when we go shopping.

That's the middle deck.
Where today the useless canopies of the trees wave stupidly in the breeze
contributing nothing to economic growth, soon we will see
lots of lovely cars.

We are very happy with this, as a great big carpark instead of the useless park will attract lots of traffic onto the Denburn Dual Carriageway, and make Aberdeen look all busy with lots of people in lovely cars going about their business on the bustling road. This will send out all the right messages.

However, when we looked at the "Schedule of Accommodation" for the proposed "City Square", we noted that 15,515 square metres of space out of a total of 56,505 are allocated for car-parking. That's 27.5%.

Yes. 27.5% of this new civic space is to be given over exclusively to car parking. We found this absolutely horrifying. It's not even nearly enough!

Edit:

Aha! Thanks for your comment, Julie. That's a step in the right direction, isn't it? What does Aberdeen "City and Shire" want with Artist-lovers when there's an urgent need for parking spaces?!

So, when all the space for the now abandoned Contemporary Arts Centre is rightly allocated to carparking space, then that gives us about 612 spaces; 19,380 square metres. That's 34% of the total.

Given the fact that other 'civic squares' in Aberdeen (like Golden Square) have allocated as much as 70% of their space to cars, this paltry 34% from the City Square Project still is simply not enough. They urgently need to re-think these plans if they are to save the Denburn Dual Carriageway.

They should listen to us. We are motorists. We have clout.

An Underused Urban Asset in Aberdeen

Take a look at that picture. The Denburn Valley. Our friends at Bristol Traffic have pointed out that there's the railway for poor people to use, the pavement for bins and vans and a proper road (the Denburn Dual Carriageway) for real people to use. But that's the problem! They're not using it! A lovely big road like that, and hardly any nice cars or vans using it.

What with all those people walking and cycling around Aberdeen these days rather than use the lovely big road, the place is looking a bit like DSS-land or StudentVille or something. This sends out all the wrong messages.

They say "use it or lose it" and, indeed, that's one of the arguments being used in support of the redevelopment of the neighbouring Union Terrace Gardens: that the green space is "rarely used", is a "pocket of market failure" and should therefore be turned into a shopping centre. Or something. And so an opportunity presents itself.

As part of the forthcoming exciting City Square Project in Union Terrace Gardens, we'd like to see a lovely new big thrilling car park included in the plans. This will attract lots of nice cars into the heart of the city centre and fill the Denburn Dual Carriageway full of busy bustling traffic. This will ensure that, to the visitor, Aberdeen "City and Shire" will look very much like a region on the up-and-up. A city that knows where it's going. It's going shopping!

Moreover, the creation of a super big new exciting car park in the heart of the city will, through induced demand, create a justification for the new Berryden Corridor Urban Dual Carriageway Development. See how it all fits together? It's a "no-brainer"!

Simples!

We have deliberately created a 'facebook page' to spearhead our campaign to save and enhance this underused urban asset in Aberdeen.

CitizenContribution - "Catch a bus, thanks."

A dangerous cyclist has been brought to our attention via the CitizenContributor hot-link.



An anonymous contributer writes:

Look how far he is in from the kerb... Of course it's a close call.

He should pull a bit in and give himself some space... I bet he is one of these drunken cyclists that wobble everywhere...

I bet, that when he's at a red light he does everything he can not to put any feet on the floor but he never gives me the satisfaction of falling over.

Catch a bus, thanks.

Indeed, anonymous, and thanks for that, we only had to make a few changes for spelling and grammar. And syntax. And comprehension.

Of course the cyclist is using far too much of the taxpayer lane when he pulls out to avoid the large puddle in the gutter, forcing the green Subaru Legacy Estate 2.5 GX reg. W342VHR to pass him so closely. The driver has no choice in the matter. He's busy, he's important, he's hard-pressed. He's GOT to get to ASDA before the cyclist. That's the natural order of things. Cars first, see? I bet.

We haven't read the Highway Code for some years, but we're quite sure that this is a rule in it. And if it isn't it should be, and probably will be now that we have a Tory Government. Cyclists must always and everywhere get out of the way of the important busy hard-pressed motorists who, having paid for the road, have first call on its use. Particularly at ASDA, when in all likelyhood, the VIP motorist is keen to make a premium selection from the "mile-o-meat". I bet. Hm, that's a good point - why would a vegetarian cyclist be going to ASDA anyway? I bet he's an animal rights activist.

Anyway, we agree with our correspondent that the gutter is where cyclists belong, along with the filth, the broken Totov vodka bottles, the used condoms and the heroin-needles which characterise this splendid car-park location in Garthdee. If, indeed, as the correspondent says, cyclists are "drunken", then the gutter is definitely where they belong! I bet.

But we must take issue with our correspondent's assertion that the cyclist should catch a bus. That would justify the continued existence of the much-hated bus-lanes, which everyone knows should be re-assigned for car use immediately. So no, we must disagree with any policy which increases bus use. You slipped up there, anonymous, I bet!

So what should our ASDA-bound cyclist do? Walk? Don't be silly! There's no pavement to take you to ASDA from this Garthdee Road approach. No, of course - once you think about it the solution is obvious - he should conform with the vast majority of Aberdeen folk and drive to ASDA.

Our anonymous correspondent sets a great example, showing what splendid specimens of humanity the drivers of Aberdeen Cars are. And, what's more, he shows just how considerate and polite to lesser road users the drivers of Aberdeen Cars are by signing off his message with the word "thanks".

No, no - thanks are due to you.