Issue - meetings

Forward Plan Ref: 2020/025

Contact: Hugh Potter, Group Manager – Area Operations Hub Tel: 07766 998704

Report by Director for Community Operations (Interim) (CMDE12).

The report presents responses received to a statutory consultation on a proposal to provide no waiting at any time and no waiting between 9am and 5pm Mondays to Fridays at Boulter Drive, Cullerne Close and Loyd Close, Abingdon put forward by the local member in response to concerns over safety and the obstruction of traffic arising from parking on the bend on Boulter Drive, around the Boulter Drive/Cullerne Close & Loyd Close junctions and within Loyd Close itself.

The Cabinet Member for the Environment is RECOMMENDED to approve proposed waiting restrictions at Boulter Drive, Cullerne Close and Loyd Close Abingdon as advertised.

Approved

Efforts to be made in conjunction with the local member to secure increased use of the community centre car park by Long Furlong medical centre staff.

The Cabinet Member for Environment considered a report (CMDE12) presenting responses received to a statutory consultation on a proposal to provide no waiting at any time and no waiting between 9am and 5pm Mondays to Fridays at Boulter Drive, Cullerne Close and Loyd Close, Abingdon put forward by the local member in response to concerns over safety and the obstruction of traffic arising from parking on the bend on Boulter Drive, around the Boulter Drive/Cullerne Close & Loyd Close junctions and within Loyd Close itself.

Officers read out submissions from:

A resident of Loyd Close who had objected strongly to any parking restrictions on Loyd Close. When he had purchased his property in Loyd Close there were no parking restrictions as with most residential areas. However, when approval was given to building an extension to the surgery and the pharmacy in a residential area it had been deemed that there would be no detrimental effect on traffic in the area, which on reflection had been naïve.  It now seemed very unfair that the first houses on both sides of Loyd Close would be discriminated against in relation to on road parking all because of that decision, which had been objected to by the residents of the area for these very reasons. The parking issues on Boulter drive were caused solely by the inconsiderate parking of the staff from the medical centre who could easily park at the community centre car park and should be encouraged to do so. Since the COVID-19 pandemic it had become obvious that cars parked on Boulter drive belonged to staff at the medical centre because very few patients were attending the medical centre.  What are we to do when work is being carried out on our properties and tradesmen need to park near the property? We have friends come to visit when parking would be prohibited, where would you suggest they park?

We cannot fit two cars on our drive and would have a yellow line outside the house preventing us from parking both our cars. It would be sensible and fair for the small number of households affected in Loyd Close to have residents parking as they do in parts of Oxford.  We feel we are being discriminated against even in Loyd Close alone where some residents would be able to park outside their houses. We are opposed to any parking restrictions proposed in Loyd Close and if parking restrictions are required then residents parking would be the fairest solution.

County Councillor Emily Smith advised that issues with poor parking in this area had been raised with her over the years as a result of people using the medical centre parking across driveways and restricting visibility around this busy junction. A previous scheme put forward a few years ago had not gained public support but there was now s106 funding set aside to pay for parking restrictions and signage in this location.  She had worked with Abingdon Town Council to carry out an informal  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11