Issue - meetings

Forward Plan Ref: 2021/115

Contact: Tim Shickle, Group Manager – Traffic & Road Safety Tel: 07920 591545/Jim Whiting, Principal Officer – Parking Tel: 07584 581187

Report by Corporate Director Environment & Place (CMDHM5).

The report presents responses received to a statutory consultation on a package of parking restriction amendments developed in discussions with local members and residents’ groups within Iffley. The restrictions proposed for Mill Lane aim to address ongoing concerns from local residents regarding vehicles parking for Iffley Lock causing an obstruction to the road and access for emergency vehicles. The proposals developed for Iffley Turn are in response to concerns regarding commuter parking close to the junction and pedestrian crossing points with Henley Avenue. A restriction to prevent HGV and Coach parking during the day has also been included within the proposals to deter inappropriate vehicles for the road parking for long periods and in response to local concerns raised with Councillors, restrictions around a sharp bend on Tree Lane are proposed to ensure road safety is maintained.

The Cabinet Member for Highway Management is RECOMMENDED to approve a package of parking restriction changes for the Iffley area which includes:

a)        Mill Lane – Introduction of No waiting at any time restrictions, with minor amendments to the advertised proposals to accommodate feedback from residents.

b)        Tree Lane – Introduction of No waiting at any time restrictions as advertised.

c)        Iffley Turn – Introduction of No waiting at any time restrictions and timed HGV/coach parking ban as advertised.

Approved

Approved

Approved

The Cabinet Member for Highway Management considered (CMDHM5) responses received to a statutory consultation on a package of parking restriction amendments developed in discussions with local members and residents’ groups within Iffley. The restrictions proposed for Mill Lane were aimed at addressing ongoing concerns from local residents regarding vehicles parking for Iffley Lock and causing an obstruction to the road and access for emergency vehicles. The proposals developed for Iffley Turn were in response to concerns regarding commuter parking close to the junction and pedestrian crossing points with Henley Avenue. A restriction to prevent HGV and Coach parking during the day had also been included within the proposals to deter inappropriate vehicles for the road parking for long periods along with restrictions around a sharp bend on Tree Lane to ensure road safety was maintained.

Paul Pemberton presented a petition on behalf of 19 residents of Mill lane opposing the measures. The vast majority in the area thought that yellow lines were not the answer and while access wasn’t perfect, which was the case in much of East Oxford, as lock keeper he was not aware of problems of access for emergency vehicles. That he felt had been greatly exaggerated with the issue instead centring on a small number of residents who experienced access problems to their properties. The scheme in its current form was completely disproportionate to the size of the problem and also inaccurate as the width of the highway had changed following clearance and removal of vegetation so on that basis alone he considered the scheme needed to be revisited. Iffley was a conservation area and these proposals would have a considerable impact on that status. Personally he did not think the scheme was necessary although many of his neighbours acknowledged the merits of a much reduced scheme focussing on the pinch point at the northern end of Mill Lane but no one agreed with lining on the southern end by the church where no one parked anyway with many residents on Church way concerned about more cars parking there as a result of the restrictions on Mill Lane He urged the Cabinet Member to reject the proposals and ask for a reconsultation on a smaller and more proportionate scheme which he would be happy to assist with.

John Mclintock a resident of over 40 years and seen numerous changes to the area including an increase in the number and size of parked cars. That had been one of the reasons why he supported the proposals today along with the recommendation that these lines should be of the narrow variety used in Conservation Areas. The support of the Friends of Iffley Village for the recommendations was also significant as was the fact that while the report contained the views of over 40 people there were only a few comments from Mill Lane residents as they had been confident that the scheme would go ahead and had felt no need to comment.  Much had been said about the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5