The opening of a new staff car park at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge heralds the development of new patient and medical research facilities on the site. The 1,255-space multi-storey parking facility is a major collaboration between the University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital and medical research charities at a total cost of £9.2 million.
The opening of a new staff car park at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge heralds the development of new patient and medical research facilities on the site. The 1,255-space multi-storey parking facility is a major collaboration between the University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital and medical research charities at a total cost of £9.2 million.
Construction of the multi-storey car park frees land from existing car parks for much-needed new facilities. Meeting the highest standards of car park safety, it is equipped with 64 CCTV cameras, emergency alarm buttons and high-level security lighting.
One of the new facilities will be the Elective Care, Diabetes and Genetics Centre. This will provide additional capacity for non-emergency operations, helping the hospital to reduce waiting times for operations and improve the service for patients. The centre will include clinical and research facilities for genetics and diabetes - a joint initiative between the University of Cambridge, the Medical Research Council and Addenbrooke's - and specialist research facilities for epidemiology and metabolism.
Already under construction is a £42 million building to house research laboratories for Cancer Research UK, which will make Cambridge the UK's key area for this vital part of medical science.
David Adamson, Director of the University of Cambridge Estate Management and Building Service (EMBS), said of the new car park: "This is a distinctive building of which we are justly proud. It will be a significant improvement for those staff who have to bring their cars onto the site."
Pressure on parking space at the hospital remains tight with over 8,000 car movements on site each day and only 3,200 parking spaces available. The hospital has worked closely with Cambridgeshire County and City Councils and Stagecoach to improve park and ride services to the hospital for patients and staff, creating a dedicated bus station near the entrance. Improved facilities for cyclists are another key feature of the hospital's campaign to provide practical alternatives to car use for the thousands of patients and staff who visit the site each day.
Malcolm Stamp, Addenbrooke's Chief Executive, said: "This modern facility is an important addition to the hospital campus. Bringing staff car parking together in a multi-storey has released valuable land currently occupied by surface car parking. We will soon be starting work on the freed-up space to develop much-needed new clinical and research facilities."
The multi-storey car park was opened officially on Monday 15 March 2004 by University Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research Professor Ian Leslie, Dr Mary Archer, Chairman, Addenbrooke's NHS Trust, Brian Cheshire, Regional Managing Director of Laing O'Rourke and EMBS Director David Adamson. Addenbrooke's staff will start using the car park from 19 March 2004.
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