I had to take a relative to the Hallamshire hospital today to an out-patients clinic and the parking situation was a nightmare.

We arrived at 10am for a 10.45 appointment only to spend the next 30 minutes driving round in circles trying to find somewhere to park. We ended up parking at the Ecclesall Rd side of the Botanical Gardens and walking back up. Needless to say we were late for our appointment.

Whoever was responsible for planning the parking at that hospital wants their heads examining. The multi-storey is no where near adequate for the number of visitors. Where do the employees park? The situation must be even worse in the afternoon when visiting starts.

Are there hospitals in other places with worse parking? I doubt it!

i often do a bit of contracting in the hallamshire, i know there is an underground car park for employees, but i agree about the public spaces. i often park across the road from the childrens and walk up.

quite agree with you on this one,but i suppose its the problem with having a city centre(or near as damn it) hospital, i once had to deliver a package to leeds general and that was the same,also leicester royal infirmary, what annoys me about the hallamshire is the amount of permit parking on the streets surrounding it,and im not sure if there is a time limit on that car park.i often wonder if its being used as an unofficial park and ride for city centre workers

has anyone ever been during the day and that multi storey has NOT being full. If so i for one will be truly amazed

I live near the Hallamshire and went to get my hair cut the other day. The barber said that he had done two people's hair before I came in. He said they park around here and walk into the city centre. So there are probably loads of people that do this. Also there is lots of call for parking around ehre anyway. There are the three Hospitals, lots of university buildings, and Sheffield High. My advice is get a bus or a taxi.

I work in various hospitals around the area and the parking at the Hallamshire is far from the worst. That distinction belongs to Doncaster Royal Infirmary or Rotherham General, they're both so bad there's nothing between them, Chesterfield Royal is also very bad too.

The parking facilities in the vivinity of the Hallamshire hospital are nothing short of appalling. I usually manage to find a spot on that road where the Rutland hotel is. (can't remember the name).

Parking is dreadful around The Royal Hallamshire, as it is round most if not all hospitals. It's a sad fact of life that cars are the dominant form of transport these days and most people see it as their god given right to drive anywhere and park anywhere. However, given the price of properties around S10 it's hardly suprising that land is at a premium.

On the whole, I'd rather see the hospital using their funds to pay the staff a decent wage, indulge in research, buy the latest equipment and keep me alive should I ever need their services rather than provide more parking spaces.

Actually, you have a good point there about parking facilities around hospitals in general - the Children's being an excellent example. It's even worse than the Hallamshire.

Originally posted by Sam Miguel
Actually, you have a good point there about parking facilities around hospitals in general - the Children's being an excellent example. It's even worse than the Hallamshire.

That's hardly suprising is it? It is after all The Children's Hospital and how many children drive?:D

My child drives me...

Originally posted by Sam Miguel
My child drives me...

what? ....mad, ....to drink, ....to work every day?

Do tell.:)

Wearing another hat I have written to the Chief Executive about the parking at the various hospitals in the Trust.

I will let you know what happens but dont hold your breath

It is hardest for the staff, they have to go every day, world without end, on shifts

At least patients and visitors are not there every day for a living

Sadly it is a common problem that if you build a service close to where the people are, where they want it, in a built-up area, then it is hard to build carparks to accomodate the cars - too many other buildings in the way. And you cant build them out in the sticks at Hathersage or somwhere, where there is stacks of room because it is too far away from the population.

I guess we need a Tram and park and ride down that way

Originally posted by max
Parking is dreadful around The Royal Hallamshire, as it is round most if not all hospitals. It's a sad fact of life that cars are the dominant form of transport these days and most people see it as their god given right to drive anywhere and park anywhere. However, given the price of properties around S10 it's hardly suprising that land is at a premium.

On the whole, I'd rather see the hospital using their funds to pay the staff a decent wage, indulge in research, buy the latest equipment and keep me alive should I ever need their services rather than provide more parking spaces.


Thats fine and dandy Max if you are well enough to catch 4 buses assuming they all come when they are supposed to. After all you wouldn't be having hospital appointments if you were well. I suppose my mum could have insisted on an ambulance picking her up but she always thinks that there are people worse off than her. Getting me to take her was taking the pressure off hospital services IMO.

If my memory serves me right the original plans for the Hallamshire hospital were for it to be built on the old Norton Aerodrome site but the university/professors et al flatly refused saying it was too far away.

Originally posted by Belle
Wearing another hat I have written to the Chief Executive about the parking at the various hospitals in the Trust.

I will let you know what happens but dont hold your breath

It is hardest for the staff, they have to go every day, world without end, on shifts

At least patients and visitors are not there every day for a living

Sadly it is a common problem that if you build a service close to where the people are, where they want it, in a built-up area, then it is hard to build carparks to accomodate the cars - too many other buildings in the way. And you cant build them out in the sticks at Hathersage or somwhere, where there is stacks of room because it is too far away from the population.

I guess we need a Tram and park and ride down that way

Belle do the employees park in the multi-storey? Surely they don't have to trawl around looking for spaces.

The person I am representing works at the Children's hospital and has to trawl for up to an hour before starting work.

She is actually quite tearful about it

isnt it funny that they built the new jessops building on a car park and provided no extra parking.

Originally posted by max
what? ....mad, ....to drink, ....to work every day?

Do tell.:)

Up the wall, that's where!

Originally posted by Mo
Belle do the employees park in the multi-storey? Surely they don't have to trawl around looking for spaces.

I think they might. I managed to get my car locked in the Multi-storey car park last night and happened to notice that there were plenty of other cars locked in along with mine.

I think there's an underground car park for the staff and some places in the multistory are reserved for consultants etc...

I have to say that the three time's I've had to visit I've only ever had problems once - in that case as it was to do with a first aid accident at work I'd have slapped it in Aunt Sally's car park and paid the fine. Lucky I just got into the multistory instead.

It's not adiquate, but if places like the Halcyon and Aunt Sallys offered some day time parking (for a fee) I'm sure it would help out - not like they're carparks are full druing the week.

I have parked at the carpark in Broomhill, when going to Jessops/Hallamshire(for an appointment, when i have come from work, though they have started charging in the car park on top of the shopping centre.

If i have time i go home and get the bus from Crookes or walk down.

I used to work at the Childrens and i never drove because there was no parking. If i have to visit A&E with child we still try and get the bus because it is easier, and if impossible then get a lift. I can't believe they built on the car park of the Childrens and it was our new building, there was talk of building a car park undreneath it at the time but that never happened. I don't know what people do when they come from another town (as many do).

Parking is going to get worse because of the new road plans for Broomhill/Uni area they are getting rid of a lot of parking on Whitham Road.

Originally posted by Sam Miguel
Actually, you have a good point there about parking facilities around hospitals in general - the Children's being an excellent example. It's even worse than the Hallamshire.

What is even worse is the zealous attitude of the police who patrol that area, a motorcycle cop in particular who will, without fail ticket you for the most minor infringement on parking! Considering the emotive reasons behind people visiting the childrens this does not go down to well.

i was at the hallamshire last friday,a man dropped a very old lady off to go in,before he had the chance to say he wasnt stopping,he was approached by one of the attendants,who spoke to him like something on his shoe,how the car driver kept his cool ill never know,parkings bad enough,without the little Hitlers,putting their spoke in,YES THEY HAVE A JOB TO DO,but it costs nothing to be cival,what about the skips in disabled bays too,the car driver could have parked there:loopy:

Originally posted by Belle
The person I am representing works at the Children's hospital and has to trawl for up to an hour before starting work.

She is actually quite tearful about it

But it's people like her that could be using public transport. :mad:

OK, she may live in Rotherham or some other far flung part of the developing world where they don't have busses or trams or trains, or even heaven forbid.. bicycles!...but why do Sheffield people think they should be exempt from commuting by public transport?

Few people need their cars during the daytime, and for lots, it would be cheaper to get a cab to and from work every day than to run a car! Lateral thinking eh? :thumbsup:

Why is it we expect to be able to drive (and park) everywhere we want to go? When these hospitals were built there would have been very few parking spaces needed as staff and patients would have relied on other forms of transport. what makes us so different now? are we more ill? are our illnesses more severe?
I recently had to go into Hallamshire for surgery, I took myself there by bus from Parson Cross and when my mum visited me from Doncaster she also travelled by bus, even though we both own cars.
The only problem arose when i came to leave and there was almost an insistence that i was taken home by car. Mum did eventually find a space near enough for me to walk to but i think it took her an hour!
How did people manage to get home before every other person owned a car? They were kept in hospital longer, until they were recovered before they went home...impossible now thanks to the demand for beds!!!
(sorry for the essay!!)

You make some good points.

I recently visited the Hallamshire by bike was able to "park" straight away for free and get in and out quickly.

Recently I have been cycling on more and more journeys for the simple reason that it is quicker!

I appreciate that this is not an option for eveyone but an alternative mode of transport is probably an option for the majority.

Building bigger carparks will not solve the congestion which is already fairly bad at times in that area.

Traffic congestion in Sheffield appers to me to be growing at an alarming rate.

It amzes me that people are prepared to spend hours of their life each week stuck in traffic.

The future has to be in alternative forms of transport otherwise I can see it being almost impossible to get about.

It would be good if the tram actually served the central hospitals,
then build a decent park and ride system.

I PRESENTLY WORK AT THE NORTHERN GENERAL, AND THE PARKING IS BAD IF TRYING TO FIND A PLACE WHEN WORKING A LATE SHIFT, BUT NO-WHERE NEAR AS BAD AS THE HALLAMSHIRE. STAFF DO HAVE TO PAY TO USE THE MULTI-STOREY AT THE HALLAMSHIRE AND IT DOESN'T GUARANTEE THEM A PLACE THEY CAN STILL BE DRIVING ROUND. NURSING/CARE STAFF WORK ODD SHIFTS AND OFTEN WILL DO ALTERNATE ONES, SO FINISH ON LATE 9.15PM AND BE BACK THE NEXT DAY 7AM. IF WE COULDN'T DRIVE TO WORK IT WOULD HARDLY BE WORTH GOING HOME. FOR SOME STAFF THEY CAN'T GET A BUS TO WORK FOR 7AM PARTICULARLY ON A SUNDAY. THOSE WHO HAVE TO GET A BUS MUST FIND IT SO MUCH MORE TIRING AND I WONDER HOW THEY MANAGE, IF FULL TIME, CATCHING A BUS AND ESPECIALLY IF THEY HAVE A FAMILY. THE ONLY WAY IT WOULD BE SOLVED IS FOR HOSPITAL STAFF TO LIVE AT WORK AND GO HOME ON LEAVE AND NOT BOTHER HAVING FAMILIES.

Please don't shout, your deafening me!

I think one of the problems is too many people attanding the Hallamshire bring cars - then to add to that you have locals who have their cars parked (quite rightly though) outside their homes, many of the local student houses some of which may have more than 1 car outside, local businesses etc, contractors the list goes on.

There just isnt enough space for them all to be there at once but as it goes everyone thinks they have a right to drive and park there, which essentially they do, but then they shouldnt get so pee'd when somebody else has pipped them to it - lets face it, all have the same rights to those precious parking spaces, right?

Its easier in my opinion to either get a bus (even I dont like doing it but hey its quicker sometimes), walk if its a nice day and you are able to, or get a friend or relative to drop you off outside the Hospital.

Besides that crappy multi-storey i wouldnt dream of prking my car in. The last one I took in there got a dent in the door, and the mirror was hanging off, add to that the berbing when coming out of the hairpin bends on exit and you have a bill of £95 for repairs.