Chester Zoo Chester Zoo Discussion, Speculation & Questions 2019

NigeW said:
A new monorail on a new wider route would make sense, surely. As suggested by GL.
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I was not advocating a new monorail. I don't like the cable car idea much either: the route would not be flexible and there could only be two stops to avoid a lot of stopping and starting - exactly the same problems as the monorail system.
The idea that has occurred to me is that it might be possible to build a new wide bridge, with very gentle gradients, more or less following the line of the monorail across Flag Lane. It could start from Jubilee Square, go across the corner of the old lion enclosure (which will soon be empty), over the canal and islands, over Flag Lane, then through Miniature Monkeys to reach the path where you could choose to turn left towards Islands, or right going between the Monkey Islands and what will become the Flamingo Aviary to reach the new entrance to Grasslands. That would of course replace the Bats' Bridge and it would replace or reshape the smaller cheetah paddocks, the children's ropewalk and at least one of the Miniature Monkeys enclosures, but it would be able to carry a lot of traffic, including vehicles, and provide better views of some of the enclosures. It could take some of the pressure off the Elephant Bridge too.
 
gentle lemur said:
I was not advocating a new monorail. I don't like the cable car idea much either: the route would not be flexible and there could only be two stops to avoid a lot of stopping and starting - exactly the same problems as the monorail system.
The idea that has occurred to me is that it might be possible to build a new wide bridge, with very gentle gradients, more or less following the line of the monorail across Flag Lane. It could start from Jubilee Square, go across the corner of the old lion enclosure (which will soon be empty), over the canal and islands, over Flag Lane, then through Miniature Monkeys to reach the path where you could choose to turn left towards Islands, or right going between the Monkey Islands and what will become the Flamingo Aviary to reach the new entrance to Grasslands. That would of course replace the Bats' Bridge and it would replace or reshape the smaller cheetah paddocks, the children's ropewalk and at least one of the Miniature Monkeys enclosures, but it would be able to carry a lot of traffic, including vehicles, and provide better views of some of the enclosures. It could take some of the pressure off the Elephant Bridge too.
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A cable car system can have multiple stops on it as at Alton towers had 3 and most ski resorts gondolas stop at the top bottom and middle of there mountains, they are also continues movement systems with passengers getting on board as the move at slower speeds in the stations unlike trains monorails where you wait for them and have long periods of people getting on and of
 
What about... reviving an old idea and going back to water-buses? Adapt the old one in East Zoo and create a new one in West Zoo that joins up with the canal system in Islands.
 
Ive just been reading about the sentosa monorail in Singapore. Its only 2.1km with only 4 stations, so not dissimilar to the sort of size CZ needs. The sentosa one cost a whopping S$140million to build - £82 million.

If small monorails serioustly cost even a quarter of that much in think they're out the running. Shame, because CZ's geography makes a monorail the most ideal solution in principle.
 
SHAVINGTONZOO said:
Walk if you can walk.

Use mobility aids if you can't.

Sorted.

;)
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You're lucky there that Chester is so flat with no steep gradations. My home zoo is NZP, which is so steep that mobility scooters aren't safe. This has made the need for a "people-mover" more necessary than in most places, but in twenty years, they've come up with no real proposal except a tramway, which keeps being voted down. You're lucky there to have so many more options, like the canal boats, open-air trucks, or even old-fashioned miniature trains. Why exactly was the monorail deemed unable to perform it's function?
 
On the topic of mobility and Chester Zoo, I was appalled to see the latest change to parking when I arrived today.
Anyone wanting to park in the first few rows of the car park (the whole of the original tarmacked area) now has to pay £5 for what is described as 'priority' parking. (I assume and hope this doesn't apply to those with blue badges in the disabled parking bays - though presumably anyone with a blue badge arriving after the marked spaces are full would have to pay for a 'priority' space if they wanted to park close to the entrance.)
I suffer with arthritis in my spine and neck, though not severely enough to qualify for a blue badge under current stringent rules. So now it seems that not only do i have to endure increasing pain while visiting the zoo, but I'm penalised for needing to park close to the entrance as a result.
This seems to me blatant profiteering on the part of Chester Zoo, who already charge a high amount for entrance tickets. We're members, and have been for years, but for those buying full-price tickets for the day and needing to pay this extra cost on top because of mobility issues like mine this is an an absolute disgrace I think!
 
Woodbine said:
On the topic of mobility and Chester Zoo, I was appalled to see the latest change to parking when I arrived today.
Anyone wanting to park in the first few rows of the car park (the whole of the original tarmacked area) now has to pay £5 for what is described as 'priority' parking. (I assume and hope this doesn't apply to those with blue badges in the disabled parking bays - though presumably anyone with a blue badge arriving after the marked spaces are full would have to pay for a 'priority' space if they wanted to park close to the entrance.)
I suffer with arthritis in my spine and neck, though not severely enough to qualify for a blue badge under current stringent rules. So now it seems that not only do i have to endure increasing pain while visiting the zoo, but I'm penalised for needing to park close to the entrance as a result.
This seems to me blatant profiteering on the part of Chester Zoo, who already charge a high amount for entrance tickets. We're members, and have been for years, but for those buying full-price tickets for the day and needing to pay this extra cost on top because of mobility issues like mine this is an an absolute disgrace I think!
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This has been discussed at length here:
Chester Zoo now charging visitors to park closer to entrance [Chester Zoo]
 
AmbikaFan said:
Lol. I'm sorry, but what's a VPN and where does one find it? Thank you for responding!
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It's a paid service that gives you an internet address from another country. I have used ExpressVPN to watch the show on the UK website. It's $12 a month. I only had it for a month, might get it again later this year.
 
bongorob said:
Interesting to see a picture of the Duchess of Kent at the official opening. Not, as pulished in Z Magazine, Princess Margaret. She never came to Chester Zoo. Royal visitors to Chester zoo are

Prince Philip, The Princess of Wales, The Duchess of Kent, Prince Andrew and The Queen.
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I remember a CZN with PP and GM on the front cover...opening of...?
 
The monorail article mentions that it only covers about half of the Zoo's now-expanded 123 acres. It seems one could still have excellent viewing of all the grounds due to the lack of tree canopy, which makes many sky-rides like San Diego more of a way to traverse the park than actually see anything. I quite think I would have enjoyed it.
 
Hope this is an OK place to ask this, does anyone have any links or copies of the original Islands plans? I had a good search online today but couldn't come up with anything!
 
I looked for this too, and the only interesting thing I found was that Monsoon Forest was part of the islands plan.
 
jde7582 said:
I wonder if leopards could be included for the new extended area of the zoo where the new lion enclosure is, and would fit with the zoo's conservation areas.
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I’m certain Leopards could be included but don’t think that they will. As much as I love cats above all other animals I’m not sure how wise it would be to put two large cats next to each in large accommodation considering they’d be about as visible as Boris Johnston at PMQT.
 
 
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