Tackling the campus parking problem

The lack of parking space on campus is a major problem. Students are allocated just under 50 per cent of the parking slots available and this is not enough to accommodate the student population. In an effort to tackle the problem the University Students Council (KSU) has taken a number of initiatives.

It has drawn up a report proposing the building of a multi-storey car park to cater for over 500 cars, spread over three levels, in part Car Park 6, opposite the University's main entrance.

KSU is aware that the University lacks funds to build such a car park, so it is proposed that it be undertaken as a public-private partnership project whereby the University contributes its land and a private partner contributes financially.

The KSU proposes that the private partner should subse-quently be allowed to build a commercial level, thus ensuring that student parking remains free of charge.

Other initiatives were taken to encourage more students to alternative means of transport.

Following discussions held with the Transport Authority regarding public transport reform it has been announced that students will benefit from subsidised bus fares, which may also be Smartcard refundable.

Furthermore, a number of new bicycle parking slots were recently installed on campus to raise the number of such slots to over 50.