CAR PARK MANAGEMENT
Introduction
This policy sets out the basis of the provision of car parking facilities at the practice premises.
The speed limit for the site is [Insert figure] miles per hour.
Facilities
The practice provides [Insert number] patient car parking spaces
The practice provides [Insert number] staff designated car parking spaces
The practice provides [Insert number] designated disabled patient car parking spaces
Designated disabled patient car parking spaces will be at least 5% of the total number of patient spaces available.
Disabled spaces will be 2.5m wide with adjacent space of an additional 1.2m (which may be shared with the next parking bay)
Disabled spaces will be conveniently located close to the building or entry points.
The route to the building from disabled spaces will be wheelchair-accessible with dropped curbs where appropriate, and be clearly signed. The route will be at least 1200mm wide.
Design and Maintenance
Every traffic route in a workplace must have a driving surface that is suitable for its purpose. The surface of any traffic route must not be so uneven, potholed, sloped or slippery that any person could slip, trip or fall.
Pedestrians or vehicles must be able to use a traffic route without causing danger to the health or safety of people near it. Roadways and footpaths should be separate whenever possible. Pedestrian routes should represent the paths people would naturally follow (often known as ‘desire lines’), to encourage people to stay on them.
By law, traffic routes must also keep vehicle routes far enough away from doors or gates that pedestrians use, or from pedestrian routes that lead on to them, so the safety of pedestrians is not threatened.
Where pedestrian and vehicle routes cross, appropriate crossing points for people to use will be provided. Pedestrians, cyclists and drivers should be able to see clearly in all directions. Crossing points should be suitably marked and signposted, and should include dropped kerbs where the walkway is raised from the driving surface.
Where necessary, barriers or rails will be provided to prevent pedestrians from crossing at dangerous points and to direct them to the crossing places. Similarly, you can use paving to guide pedestrians to the crossing points.
The practice will:
- Minimise road and route junctions.
- Provide clear signed warning of any height or width restriction – both in advance and at the obstruction itself.
- Protect dangerous obstructions with goalposts, height posts or barriers, or remove them.
- If gates or barriers are to stay open, they will be secured and locked into position.
- Traffic routes will be suitably indicated where necessary including “way in” and “way out” as part of a one-way, or traffic flow system to ensure vehicles flow in an expected direction.
- Install clear signs to tell drivers and pedestrians about the routes they should use.
- Where signposts are used, they will be constructed to Highway Code standards and be consistent with the design of signage on public roads.
- Make sure the signs are kept clean and visible.
Drivers and pedestrians should be able to expect that the layout, signs, road furniture and markings on site will be similar to those on public roads. Signs will be placed so people have time to see and understand them, and take any action to reduce any risks before they reach the hazard.
The practice will make sure that signs are:
- clear and easy to understand
- obvious enough to be noticed
- clean and well maintained so that they are always visible
- reflective and lit if they need to be visible in darkness
A surface gradient (or road camber) of about 1 in 40 should be enough to provide drainage from most areas.
Run-off water will be directed into gullies or drainage channels wherever possible
All gratings and channel units and their covers will be strong enough to bear loads suitable to their location.
Traffic routes will be maintained to provide good grip for vehicles or people. For example, they should be roughened if too smooth, gritted or sanded if slippery, and kept free of oil, grease, rubbish and other debris. A surface providing extra grip may be needed on sloped surfaces.
Do not allow potholes to develop. Potholes will be repaired promptly.
All roads, manoeuvring areas, pedestrian areas, and anywhere traffic movements take place, will have suitable and sufficient lighting for safety, including seasonal needs for lighting in the darker months.
Lights will be kept in good working order, and the covers kept clean. Site lights will be generally on light-sensitive timers, and will be directed downwards, or be fitted with spillage-shields, to prevent light pollution to neighbouring properties. Motion-sensitive lighting may be used in appropriate locations.
Parking areas will:
- be clearly signposted
- be firm
- be level
- be well drained
- not be slippery
- be well lit
- be as close as possible to where people need to go
The type of parking area will depend on the vehicles used at the workplace (including visiting vehicles), where they go and what they are used for.
An alternative to parking ‘lots’ might be bays or lay-bys, offset from the flow of traffic and people, where vehicles can be left safely. These should also be firm, level, well lit and clearly marked.
Where vehicles have to be parked on a slope, they should:
- be parked facing up or down the slope, never sideways on.
- have their brakes applied
- be left in gear (when it is safe to do so).
Maintenance policies should also be developed for roadways, footpaths and the infrastructure items such as structures, drainage, lighting, barriers, signs and markings.
Roads, footpaths and surface drainage on site should be adequately maintained. Paved surfaces should be free from pot holes and other surface defects which may affect vehicles and pedestrians. Adequate spreading equipment and a supply of grit/sand etc should be readily available on-site for snow and icy conditions.
Adequate facilities and materials should be readily available on-site for clean-up of spillages. Any materials used should not directly affect the road surface.
There will be a system to ensure that routine checks of lights and mirrors are regularly carried out. Broken bulbs and other items will be replaced promptly. The surfaces of lights, bulbs and mirrors will be kept clean and clear of mud. Signs will be maintained so that they are fully visible, lit, and have not been obscured by trees or foliage.
Road markings
Markings will help to instruct drivers (for example, ‘SLOW’), and be used for marking:
- traffic lanes
- route edges
- priority at junctions
- stop lines
- no-parking areas
- pedestrian crossings
- pedestrian walking routes
- no-go areas for traffic
White road markings will be used to regulate traffic. Yellow markings will be used to regulate parking.
Double yellow lines should be applied along the edges of routes where parking is not allowed, preferably used with a system of enforcement. Failure to implement an adequate system of enforcement may be seen as a contributory factor in the event of an accident.
Road markings are usually applied as either a cement-based paint or as ‘thermoplastic’ markings. Thermoplastic markings have advantages over paint, but are slightly more expensive. Tyres can soon scrub away cement paint markings, whereas thermoplastic markings have a longer life because they grip the surface better. They also remain slightly raised for longer, making them easier to see and providing better grip for vehicles.
Road markings will be renewed when they fade.
If the overhead clearance on a route is limited, accurate signs will be provided to tell drivers this. If the clearance is less than 4.5m, signs will almost certainly be needed if road vehicles might use the route. Signs should be clear and easy to understand from a distance that will allow drivers to act in good time. If possible, they should also be placed to allow drivers to choose a safe route, or to make a decision not to enter. Height signage should accurately reflect the clearance available.
Materials
Suitable construction materials include:
- hot rolled asphalt (or tarmac) for flexible, outdoor road-type routes;
- concrete or another rigid material for other types of route; and
- semi-rigid ‘slab’-type constructions.
Speed humps
Speed humps are a proven way to limit the speed that vehicles move around a traffic system. Speed humps normally slow vehicles to an average of around 15 miles per hour. Individual humps should not be used on their own. Humps should be repeated at intervals along a route and should not be used within 15 m of a junction or bend. Humps are only suitable for routes where vehicles can go over the humps safely.
Speed hump warning signs should be clearly visible, and should be far enough away from the hump to allow drivers to change their speed safely. The humps themselves should also be clearly marked. For practices it is recommended that emergency vehicles (ambulances) are not required to negotiate speed bumps when on a call to the surgery premises. Where speed bumps are to be installed the ambulance route is recommended to be kept clear of humps to prevent patients with injuries having to go over these.
Enforcement
You may need a wheel-clamping scheme (where wheel clamping is legal) or other measures such as notices to patients to enforce parking restrictions on site. Use these measures if somebody parks where they are not supposed to, to make sure the schemes are effective.
Unauthorised parking may be a problem, as these vehicles are not subject to site rules and requirements. If parking is a significant problem, additional enforcement may be needed.
Risk Assessment
The practice will undertake a specific car park risk assessment [Insert number] times per year with a member of staff and / or a representative of the patient participation group. In the event of a major change or specific incident, an additional risk assessment will be undertaken. The findings (and any resultant action arising) will form the basis of a report to the Partners and to the Patient Participation Group.