Students being fined because Cumbria university car park 'too small' - claim
Last updated 13:03, Tuesday, 25 November 2008
University students are being hit by parking fines because there are not enough spaces at their growing Carlisle campus, a mature student claims.
Third-year undergraduate Gary Clark says an increasing number of students are having to leave lectures every two hours to re-park in disc zones around the University of Cumbria’s Fusehill Street campus because there are not enough parking places on the site.
He says the situation has deteriorated since the start of the academic year, when a number of courses and students from other nearby campuses were transferred to Fusehill Street.
Mr Clark, 41, of Annan, is currently appealing against a parking fine he was given around two weeks ago while parking in a disc zone near the campus.
He said: “They have brought students from other sites like Brampton Road down here and there is no parking available.
“It was always difficult to park before but now it’s impossible.
“I’ve got to get here by 8.20am every day or I’ll not get a parking space and often, because I’m in my final year now, I’m here until 6pm. I’m having to lose out on lecture time to come out and move my car.”
He added: “They are also looking to install new temporary blocks to extend the Learning Gateway because there isn’t enough room to house everyone.”
Mr Clark, who car-shares with another student, is also concerned about the impact on the environment.
“I drive an LPG car and I do my bit for the environment,” Mr Clark said.
“I really think the impact of cars 20-30 at a time moving as little as two feet every two hours will not be good.
“There are also students that come to the campus from west Cumbria and many bring their cars too.”
Mr Clark says he is unable to use the trains to get to and from university everyday because the times do not suit his circumstances and refuelling his car is less than the weekly train fare.
No-one from the university was available to comment on the situation but recently the university appointed a green ‘tsar’ in a bid to adopt a more sustainable and environmentally-friendly approach across the institution.
Travel and transport make up one of the main areas the university is looking to address.
Got the same problem. My solution? I'm taking the train three days a week for my UNI at the Fusehill campus. I have a good walking exercise from the train station to the campus, rain or shine.
Just a sensible solution. Why don't the UNI require the students to use push-bike? Funny huh?
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Just because you are a student doesn't make you exempt from parking laws.
If you park in a car park and pay the appropriate charge like everyone else,you will not risk getting a parking fine.
Posted by a on 1 December 2008 kl. 15:58