A Parking Solution for Buckingham

Concept image of Park and Ride Shuttle Bus in Buckingham Source: Circles Design and Build

Park and Ride

Buckingham
30 March

2009
Copyright 2009 All images, text and concepts contained within this document remain the material and intellectual property of Circles Design and Build and Marcus D. Busby unless cited or referenced as the property of another party.

 When faced with radical crisis, when the old way of being in the world, of interacting with each other and with the realm of nature doesnt work anymore, when survival is threatened by seemingly insurmountable problems, an individual human or a species will either die or become extinct or rise above their limitations with an evolutionary leap. This is the state of humanity now, and this is the challenge. Eckhart Tolle, (2005) A New Earth (Penguin Books, London).

Copyright 2009 All images, text and concepts contained within this document remain the material and intellectual property of Circles Design and Build and Marcus D. Busby unless cited or referenced as the property of another party.

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A Parking Solution for Buckingham

by Marcus Busby CertHE DipEP In addition to the short-term parking solutions suggested, would a LONG-TERM solution be to create a small-scale park-and-ride system with a high-efficiency shuttle bus?

Concept
Two car parking sites could be created; one located at the Page Hill end-of-town, and another at the Tesco/Industrial Estate end. The shuttle bus would stop at the town centre bus stop and run between the two sites. See diagram 1. The journey time from car park to car park would be approximately 20 minutes, meaning users would only face a maximum of 20 minutes wait to return to their vehicle. Encouraging people to use our shops and services in the town centre is greatly affected by accessibility hassle free accessibility which is all part of the experience of visiting a town centre. If the total experience is good, people will use, and return to i.e. continue to use- our town centre, contributing to its sustainability. Diagram 1: Shuttle bus route in Buckingham

The shuttle bus would provide public transport for the elderly, disabled, children, and all residents not wishing to drive into town and of course visitors and tourists increasing mobility, and the opportunity to use the town centre. Instead of driving to MK for instance, town residents could get the shuttle into town, to Tesco, or even to work at the industrial estate avoiding parking issues and traffic jams thus reducing traffic locally and elsewhere. This type of solution would also encourage people to utilise public transport. iii Copyright 2009
All images, text and concepts contained within this document remain the material and intellectual property of Circles Design and Build and Marcus D. Busby unless cited or referenced as the property of another party.

Practicalities
A multi-storey option would cost 10,000 per parking space, according to AVDC Parking Services Manager Stephen Harding, speaking at the BTA parking meeting on 27 February 2009. Therefore, a hundred multi-storey parking spaces would cost 1million. The creation of provision for 200 standard car parking spaces, plus the purchase or construction of vehicles and shelters would be cheaper than this. A small fee for the use of the park-and-ride would generate an income to cover drivers and maintenance, and secure funds for future development if necessary. Diesel-powered buses could be converted to run on vegetable-derived oil, which would be cost effective. Alternatively an electric shuttle bus with a solar charging unit might be considered. Renewable fuel sources such as recycled vegetable oil are increasingly available. For example, there is a company near Winslow which produces and delivers recycled vegetable-oil-derived bio-diesel at 1 per litre per 1000 litres including fuel tax. Bought in bulk, the cost could be greatly reduced. And also, according to an article published on 11th May by Buckingham Advertiser see: http://www.buckinghamtoday.co.uk/bicester-news/Bio-fuel-factory-planfor.2872459.jp a local farm in Bicester has applied to convert its property into a BioDiesel production plant. Thus there are bio-diesel producers in Banbury, Winslow, and potentially one in Bicester. The prospect of using a local bio-diesel supplier to fuel the vehicle is extremely viable. This would also support local business and the local economy. Perhaps Buckingham could make its own bio-diesel plant. Bio-diesel production is very easy and cheap to set up. Alternatively, if we chose a solarpowered option, there are already suitable vehicles and solar charging units available. Examples of solar-powered electric buses already exist, for example, in Adelaide, Australia; the Australian solar-powered bus is called the Tindo Solar Bus see: http://www.adelaidecitycouncil.com/scripts/nc.dll? ADCC:STANDARD::pc=PC_151048. There are often concerns that the UK does not receive enough sunlight to utilise solar power effectively. However, much advancement in solar technology means that panels generate significant wattage even on overcast days. In addition to this, surplus energy is stored in specialised batteries, or cells, ensuring energy is available even at night time. Another alternative to the use of diesel oil is Hemp oil. Please see the photograph below of a group that drove 10,000 miles in a Mercedes powered by Hemp oil. Being a similar family to the common stinging nettle, Hemp already grows in the UK. Indeed a field of Sativa Hemp was even grown just outside of Maids Morton. Hemp can offer an additional renewable fuel resource. An additional advantage to hemp cultivation is the plant naturally rebuilds and rejuvenates soils which have been damaged by excessive chemical, intensive and monocultural farming techniques improving the fertility of our local agricultural land, which in effect increases its economic potential.
Copyright 2009 All images, text and concepts contained within this document remain the material and intellectual property of Circles Design and Build and Marcus D. Busby unless cited or referenced as the property of another party.

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Hemp Powered Car: Source: www.hempcar.org

Failing the use of an alternative fuel source, normal diesel would be fine. However, it must be stated that utilising an alternative fuel source would create a real buzz and intrigue, according to Hopkins book Scientific Advertising, curiosity is one of the strongest of human incentives. Any sort of buzz holds potential for gaining media coverage for Buckingham which would increase the number of visitors. Interest could also be enhanced by creating an image or icon such as a unique vehicle it has long been noted by marketing and public relations specialists that humans respond to icons, symbols and images.

Economic Potentiality
Regarding the actual shuttle-bus vehicle; one can be bought, or alternatively, using the creative engineering skills and facilities contained within our community, we could make our own. With the economic down-turn effecting local F1 companies there are a number of highly skilled engineers currently out of work. There are also many skilled engineers located within Buckingham Industrial Estate. If we were to design our own solution, there exists huge potential to sell the package to other towns creating jobs and income for Buckingham. A more economical alternative to solar power would be to simply convert an existing diesel-powered shuttle bus. Perhaps this is something local bus company Langston and Tasker would consider - with the prospect of diversifying their business potential. Hopkins states that The product itself should be its own best salesman. Not the product alone, but the product plus a mental impression, an atmosphere, which you place around it. In the instance of Buckingham, the atmosphere is the fact that this represents a sustainable, ecologically sympathetic solution that so many are desperate to see. The product is the Buckingham Experience, and an icon of this would be a funky-looking eco-bus. Funky by its material design, inventive decoration and its underlying eco-ethic. Again an icon sells products; models of the iconic Buckingham shuttle-bus, stickers and t-shirts could be sold at the Old Gaol museum shop acting to spread the Buckingham word and give people a nice memento of their Buckingham experience.

Copyright 2009 All images, text and concepts contained within this document remain the material and intellectual property of Circles Design and Build and Marcus D. Busby unless cited or referenced as the property of another party.

Outcomes of a park-and-ride for Buckingham

reduce traffic/parking issues in the town centre increase town centre accessibility provide much needed public transport set a green (national) example attract visitors from miles around create employment and opportunity address environmental issues

With car parking located outside the town centre, future expansion of parking provision is viable and avoids the problems of freeing-up or finding space to convert into car parking within the town centre problems we already have, and have no LONG-TERM solutions to. Satellite parking sites, or parking sites located outside the town centre also hold great potential to provide infrastructural links to national public transport networks such as rail and coach travel excellent for tourism, and excellent too for reducing excessive car dependency. Future developments could include increasing the number of stops on the route, and extending the service route potentially providing transport links with often isolated local village communities. Other developments might include additional shuttle buses and increasing the number of parking spaces, if required. An alternatively fuelled/powered shuttle bus would be a shining example of proactive design. THIS WOULD PUT BUCKINGHAM IN THE NATIONAL NEWS.

Buckingham Shuttle Bus: Source: Circles Design and Build

Copyright 2009 All images, text and concepts contained within this document remain the material and intellectual property of Circles Design and Build and Marcus D. Busby unless cited or referenced as the property of another party.

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National Planning Guidelines

With reference to Planning Policy Statement 6: Planning for Town Centres, this proposal would aim to satisfy the following national planning guidelines: Paragraph Criteria/Quotation Function 2.3 - making better use of Freeing up town-centre sites which may existing land be proposed for parking, allowing retail, office and/or residential uses thus increasing economic productivity of available land. 2.5 - to accommodate other town This service would provide centre uses transportation for non vehicle owners, elderly etc who may wish to use the town centre to visit friends, go to the park, or even just get to the other side of town. 2.6 - easy access on foot The proposed sites are situated next to Buckinghams two most densely populated residential areas, allowing people to walk to the park-and-ride and catch the shuttle into the town centre. 2.8 - promote the diversification The environment of the town would be of uses and improve the improved by that fact that there is the environment potential to reduce traffic, lowering - retain opportunities for vital noise and pollution issues. local services such as post Expansion of public transport service to offices local villages would make Buckinghams P.O. more accessible. 2.9 - a need to avoid overBy building car parks in the remaining concentration of growth free spaces in the town centre the urban - the need to address environment may be over-concentrated. deficiencies Satellite-parking addresses the current parking deficiencies within the town. 2.14 - out-of-centre shopping By locating one of the park-and-ride centres have a substantial sites next to Tesco, it may encourage impact over a wide area and people to visit the town centre as well. can harm vitality and One additional effect is that some viability of existing centres people may utilise the free parking - a need to improve public facilities at Tesco, for a longer period. transport Thus the parking congestion problem is removed from the town centre. 2.15 - adopt a positive and The alternative fuel source and nature of proactive approach to the proposal addresses proactive planning for the future forward thinking necessities. 2.16 - assess the need for new Existing town centre land is retained for floor space potential development into new floor - identify centres in decline space. where changes need to be Increasing numbers of shops are closing managed in Buckingham.
Copyright 2009 All images, text and concepts contained within this document remain the material and intellectual property of Circles Design and Build and Marcus D. Busby unless cited or referenced as the property of another party.

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2.16 cont.

- develop strategies for developing and strengthening centres within their area - It is essential that town centres provide a highquality and safe environment if they are to remain attractive and competitive which are fit for purpose, comfortable, safe, attractive, accessible and durable key elements which can improve health, vitality and economic potential of a town centre. - improve the character and quality of the area

2.19

This project would strengthen the viability of the town centre as a local centre for surrounding villages, tourists and residents alike. By avoiding more traffic driving into the town centre, or at least alleviating vehicle catchment into the central car parking areas, there will be a reduction in the likelihood of pedestrian injuries. Fewer cars means less noise, smoke and harmful emissions making the town centre more desirable for all creatures! Accessibility is increased significantly. The character and quality of the town centre would increase due to the approach at solving this generic problem.

Etc.

Rationale
This document was written with the Governments guiding principles of sustainable development in mind; based upon living within our environmental limits in a just society by means of ensuring a sustainable economy through good governance and the use of sound science. Please refer (below) to Diagram 2: Guidelines of Sustainable Development. This proposal utilises the application of scientific advances in technology and the understanding of risk assessment, health issues and environmental concerns. It would establish a sustainable income for interested parties and provide sustained employment through maintenance, vehicle operators and future developments. There would be an additional positive effect upon local businesses and for residents providing transportation to and from places of work and places of leisure, improving opportunity and prosperity for all. The use of locally produced efficient resources is incentivised and there is great potential to tender the project to local design, engineering and transportation businesses. The fruition of this project would promote creativity, energy and diversity in many respects and would enhance the public perception of the local authorities. Ultimately we would be attempting to address the issues of living within our environmental limits and working towards creating a healthier more cohesive society with images or attractions/examples to be proud of by creating a service that is available to all.

Copyright 2009 All images, text and concepts contained within this document remain the material and intellectual property of Circles Design and Build and Marcus D. Busby unless cited or referenced as the property of another party.

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Diagram 2: Guiding Principles of Sustainable Development

(Source: Securing the Future: Delivering UK Sustainable Development Strategy , p16)

Copyright 2009 All images, text and concepts contained within this document remain the material and intellectual property of Circles Design and Build and Marcus D. Busby unless cited or referenced as the property of another party.

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