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Chapter III – Practical studies

Minimum redevelopment: 164–165

 Novermber 1963    The Buchanan Report    Chapter 3i  
Contents • Chapter 3i • Minimum redevelopment

If this ownership level increases as expected… the number of parking spaces required is likely to be between 4,000 and 5,000… 2,000 spaces would be needed for long-term parkers

  • Fig.92 An existing pedestrian shopping alley linking Bartholomew Street and Cheap Street.
    Fig.92 An existing pedestrian shopping alley linking Bartholomew Street and Cheap Street.
  • Fig.93 The Market Place, used as a car park for much of the time.
    Fig.93 The Market Place, used as a car park for much of the time.

Minimum redevelopment

164

On the basis of this environmental objective, a number of possibilities presented themselves for the arrangement of the parking space and access to individual premises. The arrangement in Figure 96 involves no great change or alteration to shopping and business functions. Northbrook Street is wholly for pedestrian use, with rear service access to all buildings. But south of the river, service traffic would have to be admitted into the present main streets. Access for buses could be contrived on routes reasonably close to the centre. Car parks (open surface type) could be arranged conveniently for the Northbrook Street area, but less conveniently for the area south of the bridge. The effect of the open parking would not be pleasant. This scheme might be described as giving good environment with fair accessibility, and with minimum demolition.

Fig.96 The central area with minimum redevelopment. Northbrook Street is wholly for pedestrians, with a new rear access road for servicing. South of the river, pedestrians and service traffic share the existing streets.
Fig.96 The central area with minimum redevelopment. Northbrook Street is wholly for pedestrians, with a new rear access road for servicing. South of the river, pedestrians and service traffic share the existing streets.
165

The number of parking places is a major factor. At present there are about 960 spaces in public car parks in addition to street parking. We estimated that the present maximum number of vehicles parked on a weekday is about 1,600 including those parked within the curtilages of private premises. The present level of car registration is between 200 vehicles per 1,000 persons (Berkshire County average) and 150 vehicles per 1,000 persons (Reading County Borough average). If this ownership level increases as expected to about 400 vehicles per 1,000 persons, and if the degree of usage also increases, then the number of parking spaces required is likely to be between 4,000 and 5,000. We estimated that nearly 2,000 spaces would be needed for long-term parkers (i.e. mostly people employed in the town centre) and the remainder for shoppers and other short term parkers. This means that car parking, if of the open surface type, becomes the major land use in the town centre.

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