Bradley Stoke Town Council is looking at the possibility of painting double yellow lines along the access drive into the Brook Way Activity Centre and Bradley Stoke Surgery site, to deter inconsiderate parking that could potentially hinder emergency vehicles responding to an incident.
Officers informed January’s meeting of Full Council that the cost of installing the lines would be £270 or £340, depending if they were painted on just one or both sides of the road.
Some councillors were sceptical of the value of the exercise, with Cllr Roger Avenin commenting that yellow line parking restrictions on private property are “unenforceable and so a waste of money” and Cllr Andy Ward saying it would “only move the problem elsewhere”, adding: “We’re damned if we do and we’re damned if we don’t”.
Other councillors, including Tony Griffiths and Paul Hardwick, expressed renewed support for the idea of bringing the unused hard court area at the site into use as a temporary parking area, but the town clerk warned than the cost of doing that might be seen as a waste of taxpayers’ money if the council subsequently decided on another use for the area (a public consultation to gather ideas is currently under way).
The meeting was told that the surgery management has so far failed to respond to a letter sent by the council in December asking that they “look at improving parking for their visitors and remind their staff about off-site parking”.
Cllr Ben Walker observed:
“A private business [the surgery] is ‘playing’ with us at the moment. We have their business manager effectively forcing the council to make decisions.”
Councillors asked the town clerk to invite representatives from the surgery to attend the council’s next Planning Committee meeting on 12th February “to discuss parking issues on the Brook Way site”.
This article originally appeared in the February 2014 edition of the Bradley Stoke Journal magazine, delivered FREE, EVERY MONTH, to 9,250 homes in Bradley Stoke and Little Stoke.
The top off Oaktree Crescent has recently been very congested with parked cars – which is causing problems during evening rush hour for cars trying to turn into Oaktree Crecent. I watched a woman park her car right at the top of the road this morning (before 8am – no other cars parked on the road at all!)and then proceed to walk in the direction of the doctors surgery. The same car is still parked there after 5.30 most evenings, with several other. I read in the recent issue of the B.S. Journal that the Hollow Tree Landlord has complained about local staff parking in the pub car park – I wonder of the problem has now just moved over the road to Oaktree Crescent?
It’s all very well putting double yellows on the roads, but they are useless if they are not enforced, as anyone visiting BS Leisure Centre will see on a daily basis. The council needs to do the job properly or not at all.
People will still park on the double yellow lines as Andy said. Around the leisure centre and near the high school and Champs sur Marne there are double yellow lines which are parked on daily and because there’s no enforcement people just keep doing it.
Totally agree with Katie, putting double yellow lines will only shift the cars elsewhere, which in this case they’re parking at oaktree crescent. Double Yellow lines are needed at Oaktree Crescent entrance.
What is the issue in Oaktree Crescent? Not sure I understand why double yellow lines are needed at the Entrance? The entrance is wide enough.
Anupam – when you have a queue ofvehicles driving out of Oaktree Crescent and another looking to turn in, cars parked at the very top of the road (and i’m taking right to the corner) cause major problems with visability and access. The road is not safely wide enough for 3 vehicles (one if often a van) pass. Parking in this area has only been a problem in the last month. With no vehicles parked at the top, the road is easily wide enough. I’m sure the problem will escalate when one of the parked vehicles is hit – I know residents have left notes on the parked cars warning them.
It is pure laziness – there is a massive car park over the road, with no parking restriction – just a few yards further to walk!
Why are we debating the effect and not the cause?? Surely the solution is to create a larger car park at the surgery? If done, there will be no need for more double yellow lines at either location.
Is this all too simple for people to see?
Hear hear Toxteth O’G! Don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone playing tennis on the adjoining courts. What could be more community spirited for the local council than to provide assistance to the local community in making it easier to visit the surgery?
I’ve lived here for over 20 years and the two places I want to park are for shopping and for seeing the Doctor for me and my family!
A reminder that the town council is currently staging a public consultation on the future of the hard court (and general site) at Brook Way:
Public Consultation on Hardcourt Area and General Site at Brook Way Activity Centre
Don’t moan later – have your say now!
Point taken SH. Have commented at http://www.bradleystoke.gov.uk/public-consultations/hard-court-area.php and encourage others to do the same!
Anupam Patra – Road is not wide enough? Have a word with yourself… You obviously don’t drive… You can’t turn into the street entrance when there are parked cars by the entrance and when an oncoming car is waiting to pull out onto the main road.
Its going to get worse and why are the council so passionate over the parking at the Brookway centre? Answer. the council want One street traders or fast food vans, on the site. Why do I know because today the south glous council sent a letter to the locals that are affected within 100mtrs of the centre by the street trader. Also after contacting the council they confirmed a second one could be on the cards. another 4-8 spaces gone a peak times plus their custom.
Looking at the map provided, who are affected by the fast food van, over 65% is in patchway. Yet when it comes to asking what the council should do over the parking. The consultation was only directed at Bradley stoke, by means of the Bradley stoke journal, which directed you to the consultation on BSC web site. So the patchway locals have no direct contact from the council over their plans for the site? Not all locals that live on the common have internet as 3 out of 5 homes at the end of the common are occupied by over 80’s. But we all have letter boxes.
Pass history of food out let at the site. Litter, discard were ever the customer feels like dropping it, food waste the same, parking during surgery and brook way centre over spilling into surrounding roads, But worst of all anti-social behaviour which at the time was a hot spot on Avon and Somerset constabulary crime map. ASB is very frightening for the old if it was your mum or dad would you put up with it. Also we called the council over the increase in rats, I now have two rat traps to keep my property clear of them.
As a home owner in the common who enjoys where I live. My promise to the council is, when there is litter I will inform you, when there is food waste I will inform you, when there is rats running around I will inform you, when there is ASB I will inform Avon and Somerset police. when the turning circle is parked up and i cannot turn with my trailer i will ring parking services Because you have a duty of care to the local I will expect the problems to be actioned.
“yellow lines” first place at the end of The Common. but thats not BSTC problem its Patchway when it suits
So what should we do with the tennis/netball court, not a car park. Maybe something for the pensioners?