Risk of ‘floating vehicles’ on planned hospital car park

A NEW 1,600 space car park at University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire could result in “vehicles floating away” due to flood risks, it has been admitted.

The staff-only car park is proposed at the rear of the hospital to help ease pressure on the current parking facility, freeing up spaces for visitors.

But the site is on a designated flood zone and a flood risk assessment carried out on behalf of developer Prime (UK) Developments Ltd has identified the site is at ‘high risk’ of groundwater flooding with the River Sowe and Withy Brook near - although the majority of the site is a ‘low risk.’

Developers have recommended installing ‘crash barriers’ to stop “unattended vehicles floating away”; signage “informing drivers of the ‘floodable’ nature of the car park”; and boards to highlight ‘moderate,’ ‘significant’ and ‘extreme’ flooding risks and inform drivers “whether it is safe to access their vehicles”.

Parking spaces should also be “colour coded to reflect their exposure to flood risk”, it has been suggested, which will be used to help evacuate vehicles to a ‘safe zone’ via an exit on Farber Road.

But that has sparked concern from neighbouring residents.

Suzanna Davies, secretary of Walsgrave Community Forum, said: “The fields around here are prone to flooding every winter.

“The river already floods substantially across Wyken, Ernesford and Stoke Aldermoor so this could impact on this even more.

“This is a huge expanse of concrete for more single-level parking when we are supposed to be protecting our green spaces.”

Concern has also been raised over the traffic implications.

A temporary exit is planned on Brade Drive, which residents on the estate say will plough hundreds of vehicles a day on their doorstep.

“This road was designed for local traffic only and not this level of use,” Ms Davies said.

One resident, Shadr Aghil, 44, who lives on Farber Road, added: “This would be chaos as the exit is opening in front of my house.

“It compromises my children’s safety which I am really concerned about as it will drive more traffic down a narrow road.

“I used to work at that hospital for 14 years. It really needs a multi-storey car park - that would solve all their issues.”

Tricia Murray on Brade Drive added: “What concerns me is not just the amount of traffic but the amount of emissions that will impact my children.

“I look after children as I’m a child-minder and three of them are asthmatic.

“It will impact my business but the other worry is how long they wait until they change the access to become permanent.

“Staff should have somewhere to park but not to be exited onto our drives.”

The developer has said the Brade Drive exit is ‘temporary’ until the A46 link road is built, and will operate between 4pm to 8.30pm only.

University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust did not comment on the flood risks, but said it is working to find the “best possible solution” to parking concerns.

A spokesman said: “We know how important this is to get right.

“That is why we’ve taken time to work with developer Prime UK Developments Ltd and the council to ensure all aspects are reviewed and taken into account.

“We are mindful of being a good neighbour and have sought to address concerns.

“The consultation is still underway and we aim to significantly improve the experience for both our patients and our staff while reducing disruption on nearby residential roads.”