Fenalla Keevil - Geography
Fenella Keevil
b. Congestion
Due to the space constraints of this essay, assessment of the main environmental concerns
will be examined by looking at the impact Princesshay has had on congestion and whether
measures were put in place to minimise it.
There is currently no data for Exeter City in terms of traffic counts, however the number of
people parking their cars in Exeter City Centre increased by 70,000 people in the five years
following Princesshay‟s opening. (Pearce, W., 28 th July 2013) Increasing demand for car
parking can also be seen by the increased cost. Before redevelopment the cost was £1.20 per
hour, currently the charge is £1.80 per hour. These statistics suggest increased congestion.
However, Exeter Council sought to counteract congestion stating that, “as well as
contributing to highway network improvements, a comprehensive Section 106 package
[developer financial contributions] has provided contributions towards the upgrade of the
park and ride scheme (£68K), public transport (£65K) and car park management systems
(£130K) in order to maximise the effective use of the city‟s existing stock.” (Smith, H., 28 th
July 2013) These investments should in the longer term have benefits. Critically, the new
park and ride scheme operated by Stagecoach successfully allows easy access to the City
without increasing congestion.
Overall, the photographs show Princesshay‟s redevelopment success aesthetically,
encouraging visitors to Exeter. Pollution may have increased but the negative impact locally
may have been offset by pollution reductions elsewhere.
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