Chapter 3 – Part four: A central metropolitan block

Alternative forms for the parking space

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The space required for parking is about double that required for any other single land use, and nearly as extensive as the whole study area itself. We had to decide broadly between concentrating this parking space into multi-storey garages, or spreading it partly in underground car parks beneath the buildings, and partly in the buildings themselves.

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Multi-storey garages are big generators of peak period traffic. If situated with direct access to a local distributor there is the risk of over-loading; if situated on a primary distributor the garage is likely to be inconvenient and too distant from the buildings. Perhaps because not enough attention has been given to their design, there are few multi-stores garages in existence in this country which are anything more than a blot on the urban landscape—this is an important point in central areas. Multi-storey garages are not altogether suitable for short term parking purposes, yet, in the present case, nearly 50% of the parking is needed for shoppers and essential car users—both requiring short term spaces close to destinations. On the other hand there is no reason why commuters’ cars should not be concentrated into parking garages at strategic points, nor why (judging by the way people are ready to walk from London main line terminals) they should not be prepared to walk (through pleasant surroundings) distances up to ½ mile.

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For the present study we decided that the balance of advantage lay in spreading the bulk of the parking in underground space, rather than concentrating it in multi-storey garages. This conclusion is probably valid only in the context of (i) a high density, high-value central area, and (ji) an area where large-scale comprehensive redevelopment is being under-taken. We recognise the advantages of multi-storey garages for fitting concentrations of parking spaces into existing town centres, where comprehensive development is not being undertaken.