Moving Office - limited parking. Any advice?

[RedFraggle]

Hi all,

Our company is moving to new offices in a few months time. We currently have plenty of parking and have had for all the time we have been at this site. When we move buildings there will be only 45 spaces between 109 people Management are trying to persuade everyone that it will be fine if we all car share but it is not possible for many people (myself included) as we work different hours, have child drop-off / pick-up commitments etc.
Someone told me that if you have worked somewhere with unlimited parking then you are entitled to the same conditions when you move. Is this true? If so where is this written?! Would they have to buy additional land for parking?

Any help appreciated - I am getting very concerned about the fact that I am not going to be able to park and may have to give up my job.
Parking on the road is not viable and there is nowhere else close by either - closest place is a fifteen minute walk away (along unlit roads) so not practical.

we haven't got a car park at work
we use the park and ride or park inresidential areas to avoid city car park costs
if you all walk together at the end of the day that would be ok suely?

Work are organising car shares but even with that there will not be enough spaces. There is no park and ride.
I work half an hour later than pretty much everyone as I only work part time so work longer hours. It would mean me walking alone down the dark roads.

There are no residential areas locally to park - it is in an office "park". Can't park on the roads as there will be double yellow lines all around.

Any other ideas please?

IMHO your employers have created a problem and it is up to them to sort it. They should be buying an allocation of season tickets for
the nearest public car park and making an allowance for additional time to work for those not allocated an on-site parking space although I fear there is probably no obligation on them to do this.

Do you have a union ? Maybe they could sort out a joint representation to management on everyone's behalf .Raise your concerns with HR and express your fears about walking 15 mins alone in the dark and ask them what they are doing about prioritising the allocation of on-site parking to more vulnerable female staff.

I was given a priority city centre on-site parking space with one previous big employer as I mentioned an unpleasant incident I had had in an NCP car park once and my manager took my concerns very seriously and wrote to HR on my behalf.

After another couple of years working there, eventually questions were asked of HR by senior staff using the same car park as to why I parked there each day and I was eventually given notice that I'd have to use the public car park 10 mins walk away. I found another job before my on-site permit ran out and although it wasn't the main reason for my departure I did mention it casually in my exit interview as something that would have pushed me to consider other job offers in the long term.

How are the management going to deal with allocation of car parking spaces? Presumably they are not just going to let it be a free for all, surely???

If they are forcing people car share then they need to set up a system for people to co-ordinate lifts. And for those people who cannot take part in the lift share there should be a priority and/or rota for use of the spaces.

My employer has a very limited no of spaces (though it's a city centre office so public transport is fine for most people). Each dept has spaces allocated pro rata. People generally work it out between themselves using a calendar, priority being given to lone women/people with childcare commitments etc. I'm sure management would get involved if there was a issue that couldn't be resolved but so far they haven't had to.

Oh sorry you said work were organising car shares (must read the thread!) - but they still have a responsibility IMO to deal with those for whom it's not practical.

Dh has been relocated several times and each time his company have offered either to pay for travel (train) or to pay for extra parking.

I suggested a shuttle bus from the car park 15 minutes away but they won't do it. It is going to be a free for all. They want us all to car share. I am getting very stressed about this. My children's nursery only opens at 8 and I need to be in work (20 minutes away) by 8.30. I just don't see how I can do this if there is no parking. The area doesn't even have sodding transport links for people to get trains or buses! It is a nightmare. I think I'm going to have to get a new job, although I'll never get the same money for part-time hours.

Thanks for all the suggestions. We don't have a union - the company doesn't recognise them.

Red Fraggle, have you thought of posting this in employment issues?

There might be someone with a HR background who can advise you.

I don't think you should just give up. The management also have an interest in keeping you since they have invested time in your training/experience. What are they going to say if they interview for new staff - 'we only accept people in x,y, z areas who are prepared to lift share'?

Thanks SpangleMaker, I will post it there now.

RedFraggle - What happened, did you get the car parking issue sorted ?