Following your responses to our recent story on the new buildings planned for University Avenue, we sat down with Property Director Mark Broomfield to de-mystify the Campus Master Plan and discuss its impacts on parking.
Why are we seeing more industry partners with buildings on campus?
We developed a plan in 2009 to enhance the University for both students and staff, in part by bringing industry partners onto the campus to engage meaningfully with them.
Greater collaboration with industry and business will not only enrich the Innovation District of which Macquarie University is central, but will also provide opportunities for commercialisation, student internships and real-world work experience.
Where will we park once the C1, C2, C3 and E1 car parks are closed?
As identified in the 2014 Master Plan, the University is focused on improving pedestrian safety and traffic management on campus. One of the ways to do that is to ensure car parks are located on the perimeter.
In line with this vision, the X8 car park was originally designed to accommodate additional parking for staff and students. It will be expanded prior to the closure of C1, C2, C3 and E1 to provide an equivalent number of spaces. The expansion will commence later this year, with a planned opening in late 2017.
The University will also be increasing the frequency of shuttle buses from the X8 car park to assist those needing some form of vehicular access. In addition, changes will be made to car parking arrangements in the F5 car parks to provide additional parking for University usage.
How many car park spaces will there be when the Campus Master Plan is completed?
When the campus is fully developed, we plan to have nearly 11,000 spaces available for commercial tenant, student and staff parking. The number of spaces provisioned for the University use is maximised at 5,000 under the 2009 Concept Plan approved by NSW Department of Planning.
What will happen to the undercover disabled and motorcycle parking in E1?
We are currently looking at arranging alternative undercover parking in F5, the Australian Hearing Hub and other University-owned buildings.
Are there plans for shuttles and/or covered pedestrian walkways on campus?
There are plans to increase the frequency of the shuttle bus. There are no plans for covered walkways.
The executive working group will continue to evaluate all options for staff and students who park on campus to provide the best possible experience.
What parking options will exist for parents and carers with children attending campus childcare centres?
Existing car parking facilities will be maintained for those spaces in close proximity to the childcare centres, wherever that is possible. The drop off points will be retained.
What is the University’s plan to manage potential impacts from the train station closure?
The expanded X8 car park will open in late 2017, prior to the scheduled train station closure in late 2018.
In addition, we have established an executive working group that will lobby the government to represent the University’s needs and interests as it further develops the interim transport plan. The executive working group will provide regular updates to the University community at large.
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From this article it seems that the X8 carpark is being expanded to only cover the loss of spaces from the closure of carparks C1, C2, C3 and E1. So saying ‘The expanded X8 car park will open in late 2017, prior to the scheduled train station closure in late 2018’ is misleading as the expanded X8 carpark will not provide any extra spaces in response to the closing of the train station as this statement implies.
The provision of covered walkways from carparks that are now (and in the future) located further away from buildings is desirable as they would reduce the impacts of sun exposure, heat/cold (especially in light of the extreme hot weather we experienced last week, with 40+ days) and rain on staff and students. The provision of water stations in or on the way to carparks would also help mitigate these conditions.
In relation to planning to manage the impact of train station closures, let’s encourage staff to stagger their timetables and work from home where feasible.
Is the plan for the expanded X8 parking to be in operation alongside the C1, C3, C3 and E1 carparks until the train station reopens? I would expect the demand for parking to be particularly high during this period, and maintaining the extra spaces would help meet this demand.
I am finding it incredibly hard to understand that cycling is not mentioned in this array of thoughts. There’s an excessive emphasis on cars and buses. The photo at the top of this piece illustrates what I am talking about: a new road that has no cycle lane but instead forces cyclists to share the roads with cars. In most developed countries the publication of such a photo would subject one to ridicule but here’s a university that seemingly feels comfortable with it. In other words, my advice is that Mark Bloomfield and his team go back to the drawing table to include an effort to support, endorse and promote cycling on and to Macquarie University’s campus.
Hi Jaap, in fairness we did ask Property to respond specifically to the questions raised in our 7 June story (the majority of which related to car/motorbike travel). We absolutely support the promotion of sustainable transport (see our recent story on the Co-Hop ride-sharing initiative) and will be sure to work with Sustainability on featuring cycling in future issues. Or perhaps you’d like to submit a story yourself! Visit http://www.mq.edu.au/thisweek/contribute
I would also like to see more explicit planning and encouragement for cyclists – the new roads pictured are narrow and potentially dangerous for cyclists.
Good to have this summary, but I’d like more specifics on motorcycle parking. I plan to use a scooter some of the time in the future, as well as my car. How many parks will be provided in this new masterplan across the three venues mentioned above? How many total parks will be provided on campus?