West Bridgford street parking permit plans scrapped

Thanks to all the opposition to these plans the parking scheme as proposed has been scrapped.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-11438109

 In the Edward Road area 168 people were against the plans compared to 19 supporting plans with five neutral residents.
In Lady Bay, 127 were against the permits, nine people supported the plans and three people were neutral.

See the Evening Post article here

An excellent outcome, now maybe the council will look again at making Lady Bay a proper Home Zone? With more parking places and less rat running by introducing diagonal parking in some of the Victorian streets.

We now await the outcome of the very short consultation period  to see where we stand on parking in the Lady Bay area.
Although it is not clear how the decision will be taken, if the scheme is to take place would a yes vote be taken as more than 50% of the residents directly affected, or more than 50% of people responding. Will the suggestions put forward to make the scheme more acceptable be listened to, or are we getting an off the shelf scheme with minor alterations e.g. parking on the pavement on Trent Blvd?
If the response was very low and nowhere near 50% of the people affected by the scheme, what is the chance of extending the consultation period, thus allowing a public meeting to be organised?
On the subject of 'people affected' I understand that the council only sent details to the streets affected by the proposed scheme, yet people living adjacent to the scheme would be very much affected. I also understand that the County Council did not contact Rushcliffe Borough Council to inform them of the proposals. So I suppose we should be happy that we found out at all!
A recent response from the council (20/8/10) sent to me by Alan, did enlighten me as to how we got the proposal in the first place, (the initial survey refers to the independent survey from last year where the details and costs were not made clear):

"The initial survey was carried out to gauge the support for a residents parking scheme. The results of all the surveys, that were carried out throughout Nottinghamshire, were entered in to a league table, with the top 25 going forward to the consultation stage.

The results of the current consultation will be reported to Councillor Richard Jackson who will make a decision on how the scheme proceeds. At the moment the vast majority of responses have been against the scheme. I do not know on what criteria he will make his decision.

Jeff Burton"

Now at least we know who will be making the decision-

Councillor Richard Jackson ( cllr.richard.jackson@nottscc.gov.uk)

 

I have had one complaint about the posters placed in the three bus shelters, they are now gone and I have apologised.
But when faced with such a short period to discuss the implications, how as a community do we respond? There are no independent prominent community notice boards where residents can post topics of relevance to the community. I have noticed that when the bus stops were put in place there was a notice board attached but these have never been used. Perhaps someone out in the community would think about adopting the bus stop notice boards and running them much as the planters are run?

If my posters were behind glass though I might never have received the comment in the Trent Blvd / Rutland Rd stop, which did make me smile.
Written under the SAY NO header someone had written
"No Way - there's hundreds of residents who think its a brilliant idea"
The response was picked out with an arrow,
"they clearly have no friends to visit"


If you do have any comments for or against, please contact me or just comment at the bottom of the post.

I would particularly like to hear your alternative solutions or suggestions as to how you think a residents' parking scheme could work in Lady Bay.
 
I will moderate any comments, but your comments will be posted even if you are for the scheme as it is proposed.

I will not be giving full names, only first names, nor will I say where you live within the area or scheme zones.  I think this is a debate that affects all of Lady Bay.

Last chance to OBJECT?

Fast approaching is the original deadline of Monday 23rd Aug to object to the parking scheme.

If you haven't already done so send an email (jeffrey.burton@nottscc.gov.uk) or drop a letter into Trent Bridge House on Fox Road in the corner of the Cricket ground.

People in the scheme area received a letter and plan summarising the scheme on 21st July 2010 (I will post it at the bottom of the blog). I don't know if people in the adjoining areas to the scheme received the same letter I have a feeling that may not have happened. If that is so you will not have had time to understand the implications for your part of Lady Bay. 

If on the other hand you have only just come back from holiday, or you feel the few weeks we have had to understand the implications for parking in Lady Bay, or what the scheme is all about, is not enough time email the man responsible for collating all responses Jeffrey Burton (jeffrey.burton@nottscc.gov.uk) and say so.

I think an extension of the response time giving people a chance to understand the implications, look at alternatives and to organise a public meeting to see what is possible or affordable, is something I certainly would like to see.
 
I reproduce below with kind permission a response from two Lady Bay residents Allan and Sue saying  just that.

Dear Jeffrey

Further to my recent email objecting to the above scheme, the deadline for replies is fast approaching. We are concerned in case the scheme should go ahead with only a minority of residents responding and with, therefore insufficient consultation.

There has been no public meeting organised to discuss the pros and cons with residents, it is the holiday season and from talking to a number of people, they had not fully read the details of the scheme and had not thought through the possible consequences.

We understand that you only had a relatively small response to the initial survey and that people didn't have the detail of the scheme when they 'voted' in favour. They may now have a different view.

Can you, therefore, please advise me how many responses you have had to date? Also, can you please advise on what basis you intend to make the decision? Will you go by a simple majority, one way or the other, based on the number of responses for or against? Alternatively, will you be assuming that those who do not bother to respond are in favour and that the scheme will go ahead unless you receive a large number of objections?

Our view is that you need to obtain the views of at least 50% of the Lady Bay residents affected before making your decision. In talking to people, we do not believe that the majority would be in favour once they understand the implications. If you have not received this level of response, we would request an extension to the consultation period to allow the local community to organise more thorough discussion and debate on this issue.

Alan and Susan 

Thanks very much to Alan and Sue for raising these points, if you feel the same, email Jeffrey Burton (jeffrey.burton@nottscc.gov.uk) and ask the same questions.

 PS

I did a quick visit to some of the shops on Trent Boulevard today asking their opinion of the scheme and if they would put a poster up. All shops visited were not in favour of the scheme, in fact most believe it could have a very detrimental effect on their business.

If like me you feel strongly about the imposition of a residents parking scheme, please download a poster and put it in your window, for your neighbours without the internet pop one through their door. 

I don't think the proposals will go away just yet and there may be more emailing and letter writing to come.

no parking poster 2

download the poster here

EVENING POST ARTICLE: Residents parking scheme proposals unveiled for West Bridgford

If you have not seen it already the article in the Evening Post can be found here
http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/news/Residents-parking-scheme-proposals-unveiled-West-Bridgford/article-2478714-detail/article.html

Note the misleading quote from Councillor Richard Jackson
cabinet member for Highways and Transport at the county council, said: "We are proposing several new parking schemes across the county, which all come from residents' requests.
"This scheme means residents will have their own parking space, which is something they should be entitled to."
From the letter sent to us from Jeff Burton
You will not have a dedicated space to park in outside your house or your "own parking place":
Residents having no off-street parking facility have an improved opportunity to park close to their homes (residents parking schemes do not, however, offer any guarantees as to space or location.)
What planet do they train these Councillors on, with reduced parking places available and increasing numbers of vehicles living in Lady Bay you may have to park streets away. 
VOTE NO

SAY NO TO A RESIDENTS’ PARKING SCHEME IN LADY BAY

From my first posting regarding a residents’ parking scheme (link) things have moved on; councils have changed, governments have changed and lo and behold the scheme as described in the consultation has changed and is now chargeable, and comes in two versions depending on where you live.
These changes however have not changed my mind about it. In fact they have strengthened my resolve to oppose it.

RULES?
At face value a residents’ parking scheme sounded like a good idea, allowing residents on match days to park outside or near their house, or park on their drive and park their other car across their own driveway. Sounds great until you read the detail…

·  Each permit costs £25 with the exception of those people being ‘75 years of age or more or are Blue Badge holders.’ (£25 is the charge this year, 2010!)
·  Only one visitor permit per household also £25 (although the rule does say ‘premises’ so multi occupancy premises will only get one visitor permit, I assume. In that situation who pays for it is not clear.)
·  Only one parking permit per resident - specified car. (So if you change your car that I assume, is another £25); ‘Each resident is entitled to a single permit for a specified vehicle. Only one resident may hold a permit for any one vehicle.’
·  Who is a resident? ‘A resident is a person living within a property which has a frontage onto, or vehicle access to a street named in that part of the order which defines the controlled zone’. But the rules also say …’ A person may be deemed a resident of a controlled zone at the discretion of the Director. Permits can thereby be issued to a person employed by a business located within a controlled zone, or to residents of properties which lie beyond the controlled zone but are reliant upon parking within it.’
·  There are no designated parking places for anyone including Blue Badge holders; we will have to find a parking place that is not occupied possibly quite a way away, due to the decreasing amount of parking spaces (see next point.)
·  There will be additional no waiting areas and time limited waiting areas. These will be located across driveways and near to shops, with no parking outside the school and bus stops, your parking permit will not allow you to ignore these restrictions.

PROS AND CONS

So what advantages would it bring to Lady Bay?
From the published, “Residents’ Parking Scheme?(link)” document , Lady Bay is presented with only two of the five published advantages:
1. Residents having no off-street parking facility have an improved opportunity to park close to their homes (residents parking schemes do not, however, offer any guarantees as to space or location.)
2. The amenity of the area may be improved with fewer vehicles being parked during the working day;
Although the first point is only half a point and the second point, improving the ‘amenity of the area’ does this mean traffic may flow quickly through the streets of Lady Bay, not something I would welcome, we struggle with the voluntary 20 MPH in place already.

Let’s move to the published disadvantages.
DISADVANTAGES
1. A residents’ parking scheme in one area might create or worsen parking problems in adjacent areas.
2. The provision of a localised scheme may give rise to accusations of discrimination from residents who do not have a scheme.
3. There is frequently insufficient space for all residents’ vehicles (Lady Bay Scheme frequently has been replaced by sometimes.)
4. Parking for visitors is restricted by virtue of the space, permit availability or time limits on waiting.
5. The presence of a scheme could inhibit commercial and other non-residential activities within the zone.
6. There is a charge of £25 per permit covering a period - usually 12 months

I can think of no more advantages but a few more disadvantages:
7. Moving from hardly any restrictions to a scheme that restricts parking from eight in the morning to eight at night Monday to Saturday for a problem that occurs once or twice a week.

8. If you do not own a car or motor bike and have no intention of doing so you will still have to pay £25 for a visitor permit for your friends, family or trades people. (75 and over or blue badge holder exempt but you will still only be allowed one visitor permit)

9. The cost is not fixed forever and I do not see it ever becoming cheaper or free again.

10. You will not be able to park across your own driveway (type two – ‘…no waiting restrictions Monday to Saturday 8am to 8pm mainly across driveways’ from the letter of proposal.)

11. Parking for events on Sunday and Bank holidays would not be restricted.

12. Parking just over the line in parking bays will get you a ticket (that could also be an advantage as it may teach some people to park a little better.)

13. For friends and family daytime events (barbecues, children’s parties, weddings etc) your visitors will have to park half a mile away or more, despite the fact that there may be plenty of empty spaces on your road.

14. As Jules (link) has said, It will be very difficult for hire cars to be delivered to or collected from your door, and they may well have to be left on the roads with no restrictions no matter how far away.

And finally

15. Your visitors / trades persons accidentally leave with your visitor’s permit or worse still the permit your neighbour has lent you, each replacement costs £25 and time without a visitor permit.

I’m sure there are a more disadvantages to this scheme, which is supposedly a scheme to alleviate the problems caused by football and cricket matches and commuters, or more specifically, County Council employees who are not allowed to park in the Forest football ground car park anymore.

Interestingly out of those three reasons for investing in a residents’ parking scheme, the only one that has changed in the 23 years I have lived in Lady Bay (and 31 years in total in West Bridgford) is the employee parking due to Forest withdrawing parking in their extensive car park.

So it seems that we are to pay for a scheme that has been precipitated by the very people that cause the problems and will also administer the scheme.

REAL PARKING PROBLEM CAUSE
If like me you moved to set up home in Lady Bay you would have already been aware of the Match day traffic and were prepared to live with it along with the road closures on marathon day and great bike ride day. The down side of living in Lady Bay is more than compensated for by living in a wonderful community as reported by the Lady Bay website.
Our parking problems are not down to commuters, football and cricket matches, but from the increased car ownership in an area built in Victorian times.

As I said in the previous posting regarding the consultation, the current situation, though not perfect, works for now and a residents’ parking scheme will not be beneficial to the residents of Lady Bay.

SAY NO to more bureaucracy, more cost and more restriction, make your view count.

OBJECT
If there is more than one person in your household get them all to write or email now before Monday 23rd August 2010 and object to the Lady Bay Residents’ Parking Scheme once it is in place it would be far harder to remove.

Write to

Jeff Burton
Project Engineer (Improvements)
Nottinghamshire County Council
Highway Design
Communities Department
Trent Bridge House
Fox Road
West Bridgford
Nottingham
NG2 6BJ


Or email
jeffrey.burton@nottscc.gov.uk