On Monday 11th September there was quite a serious fire in a van in the car park next to the business centre at the end of Winchester Road. A tree also caught alight and it seemed likely at one point that sparks from the fire would reach some of the houses. The most serious aspect of this incident was that the fire engine was unable to reach the fire because of cars dangerously parked across the corners of Broadway Avenue and Winchester Road and at the end of Winchester Road. In the end the fire fighters had to park the fire engine some distance away and pull the hoses over the hedge to reach the van.
The fire was quite quickly brought under control but it could have been much more serious. The point is that something needs to be done about this dangerous situation of people parking across the corners of roads. The emergency services simply cannot reach the houses in some of the streets because of badly parked cars.
– submitted by local resident, Jane Pettersson
Comments
I think this hits home the fact that the parking issue is not just about people being inconvenienced by not finding parking near their home - but that there are real safety issues as a result of the over crowded parking.
Where the extra cars will go is not an easy answer!
Angela
Andrea on 2006-09-14 15:08:56 +0000Your councillors are pressing as hard as possible and more for a house by house survey to try and find an answer to the problem.
Angela is right there is no easy answer.
Discouraging second and bigger cars, car sharing, car clubs and CPZ may be an answer.They are certainly worth looking at and discussing
Cllr Ben Khosa
Ben Khosa on 2006-09-14 22:29:36 +0000This is a problem in the whole area. Often delivery vans have real difficulty negotiating the junction of Sidney and Winchester Roads, and also that of Kenley and Mormead Roads.
It may be unpopular but this latest incidents perhaps calls for yellow no parking lines at these busy junctions. Safety needs to be the priority.
Dave on 2006-09-16 18:57:18 +0000The vexatious issue of parking was last debated at a packed public meeting in Winchester Hall in March (although it has been under discussion for three years now). Since then the issue has slid down the Council's agenda. At that time, residents were given to understand that were was a budget of some £75K set aside to carry out a parking survey and implement its findings. It's imperative that this is put back at the top of the agenda so that we can establish the facts of the situation - the necessary first step before anyone can come up with an answer. I know that our councillors understand how urgently this needs to be addressed, but I wonder how aware the Council's permanent staff are of the massive inconvenience and danger posed to residents who are forced to live with the situation month in month out?
Hilary Ivory on 2006-09-17 11:01:50 +0000One of the problems is the sheer number of cars. A council officer is looking at producing a paper on car clubs and car sharing, which might be included in all future consultations on CPZs. If you have any views on this write to Mary Toffi ( m.toffi@richmond.gov.uk), or the cabinet member with responsibility for traffic and parking Cllr David Trigg ( cllr.dtrigg@richmond.gov.uk). Look at www.mystreetcar.co.uk/ for more details. A few bays devoted to cars only available to residents of this area (perhaps located in the industrial estate car park) might take twenty or more off the streets.
Trevor Whittall on 2006-09-18 09:40:41 +0000It is incorrect that the issue has slid down the council's agenda.Your councillors have been instrumental in ensuring that the issue is at the top. There are however some hurdles to overcome and they are being worked on. Regarding the £75k or rather the lack of it, when I last investigated this I was informed by officers that there was no such fund set aside and (wrongly it seems) I thought I had relayed this information to Hilary earlier in the year. Trevor's info. I think is very usefull and should be the line of thought to take including his previous idea about amalgamating with the Cole Park Road CPZ rather than creating a new one as this may provide some welcome relief Cllr Ben Khosa Cllr Ben Khosa
Ben Khosa on 2006-09-18 23:16:33 +0000I really can't see any other way out of this problem other than a CPZ. A nuisance for everyone concerned as I am sure no one wants to pay for a permit or fill a form out for yet another basic service or convenience.
Car clubs and car sharing are great in theory but how could they be imposed upon people? If it's a new housing development properties can be sold with a covenenant restricting car use. Here there is no such regulation.
Even if 20 or 30 cars can be taken off the road as Trevor writes, the space will just be taken up by commuters.
Re rolling the Cole Park CPZ out - don't even think about it unless you extend to the other side of the A316 as well - it's a nightmare in Orchard Road already without a CPZ. It will just get worse.
karen on 2006-09-18 23:32:08 +0000A CPZ won't cure the problem - there are just too many cars! There is no cure for this as no-one wants to give up their car(s!).
A CPZ won't stop people parking across the corners unless there are double yellow lines which are policed. The CPZ only operates until 1830 hrs and the people parking across corners are people who come home late and can find no other place to park or at least not near their homes. These selfish corner parkers not only cause problems for emergency vehicles and large lorries but also make it difficult to exit sides roads without the risk or being hit by an approaching vehicle that is not visible until your car has pulled out into their path. AND people drive far too fast around these little side roads especially along Winchester Road (Mears vans take note!)
A CPZ would prevent commuters taking advantage of free daytime parking but the main parking problem is from 1700 hrs.
A somewhat radical solution would be one car per household but that is not going to happen either!
Sandra on 2006-10-04 09:36:51 +0000Add a comment