SURVEY SAYS ... MORE SAFE PARKING, PLEASE

PERSONAL safety concerns are the main driver behind a public push for more parking in Geelong’s hospital precinct, community survey results have revealed.

An affordable multistorey carpark is seen by many as the solution to the area’s parking problems and the old Geelong Gaol, army barracks or helipad site were raised by responders as potential development sites.

More than 500 people took part in the wide-ranging City of Greater Geelong survey that invited residents to share their experiences using the space.

Parking was a dominant theme with 87 per cent of people travelling to the area by car and many seeking more parking time at less cost.

Workers, who accounted for 52 per cent of responders, want subsidised parking nearby and many currently seek free parking in neighbouring streets.

The often long walk to and from the car in the dark is the cause of personal safety concerns, particularly among females, who made up 81 per cent of all respondents.

The community believes increased street lighting, additional CCTV and more visible policing and security patrols would improve personal safety and deter people from loitering in the area.

While half of respondents work in the precinct, 40 per cent said they visit to access health services and 10 per cent were residents of the CBD.

The survey results also conveyed a widely held view that vehicles looking for parking are a cause of traffic congestion in the area.

Additional pedestrian crossings, speed reduction methods such as speed humps, and wider, more even footpaths were suggested to boost pedestrian safety.

Signage was identified as confusing and in need of review, with a directional app and physical map suggested as solutions.

Visitors to the hospital precinct said existing buildings need a facelift and more green space — or areas where people can gather as families or reflect alone — are needed.

The feedback is set to guide the first stage of planning to improve streets and public areas in the hospital precinct.

City of Greater Geelong acting director of planning and development Joanne Van Slageren said a draft plan for the precinct would be available for public comment in late 2018 or early 2019.

“We are yet to formally finalise the members of the reference group and terms of reference for the group. They will be determined based on our expressions of interest process, responses from the community survey and discussions with key stakeholders,” she said.

“We are currently finishing technical assessments before it moves to concept development stage.”