Moorgate: maximum number of spaces

With reference to the readers letter in the Bury Times edition of November 20 regarding Moorgate Primary Care Centre, we welcome the feedback provided. Moorgate Primary Care Centre is a flagship development and the first of a number of state of the art health centres that are set to transform primary and community services in Bury. Now that the building is operationally open for business and the first of many services up and running from the centre, patients are already reaping the benefits of our newest health addition. Early feedback about the facilities and extensive range of services which will be provided from the centre has been encouraging. There have, however been some issues raised about the parking arrangements at the centre. I can identify with the concerns expressed, and would like to take this opportunity to assure people of the rationale behind the arrangements made. Moorgate Primary Care Centre has the use of a 20-space short stay car park, five of which are allocated for disabled drivers. This was the maximum number of parking spaces that could be allocated within the plot size available. The decision to incur car parking charges was made to allow patients of the centre to be able to park there for a short time, as opposed to spaces being used by longer stay shoppers or other visitors to the town. The pricing policy imposed in the car park reflects the relatively short period of time people would be required to visit the centre and reflects the council’s short stay tariff. In the not too distant future, the multi-story car park which will serve the new retail development will open offering extensive parking facilities to visitors to the town, and is within close proximity of the new centre, offering more choices. When planning access to the new centre, consideration was given to those patients who would prefer to be dropped off at the centre, and those choosing to use public transport. In addition to a car park, we were able to incorporate a convenient patient ‘drop off’ area located next to the main entrance to the centre, and there is safe and convenient access to public transport adjacent to the building.