On Street parking as a "calming" measure

[Nathaniel]

I hope the Highway and Civil Engineers in our midst could shed some light on this. I have a busy high street where I live, and there is on street parking on one side. This narrows the road so much that at time there isn't enough room for two vehicles to pass. On a few occasion, I have had my wing mirror knocked backed. There are also times when a bus comes along, you have to move towards the pavment or even drive on to the payment to allow the bus to pass. The situatiion is made worse if there is an HGV vehicle coming down (in the opposite direction to yours) and with cars parked on one side, it is almost impossible to navigate and on two occasions I have had my wing mirror knocked back (fortunately no damage caused to the wing mirror. I have, quite naturally,been at the local highway authority and have been told that (a) the on street parking is a traffic calming measure (b) to stop HGV vehicles using the street would involve the police to look into infringments and the police have no time to get involved etc etc.

I am told that other motorists too have complained in the past and nothing has been done help motorists to drive on this street without having to negotiate an obstacles course.

Do let me know what you think.

Many thanks
Nat

[the black fox]

Re: On Street parking as a "calming" measure

trouble is nat ,and knowing EXACTLY where your talking about ,there not going to do a thing to alleviate it ,bringing in a no parking restriction would cause a total uproar with the few local traders left,as most people are lazy and tight wadded so there not going to park at the bottom of a steep hill and pay and then walk back up to the shops .all i can suggest is take care and be aware ,its a problem in quiet a few other local towns flint ,caerwys,rhuddlan,etc all still have roman or medieval road layouts in fact during the recent demolitions of the flats in flint they discovered the old town ditch/moat that went around the medieval walls .
caerwys has a roman road layout and might even be the site of the lost roman town/city of varus i have certainly found lots of roman coins and brooches by the town

[antoeknee]

Re: On Street parking as a "calming" measure

To me there seem to be only a couple of options given its a busy high street:

1. Remove the parking, probably wouldn't be popular with the high street businesses, so traffic can move in both directions.

2. Retain the parking and make the high street one way.

[Nathaniel]

Re: On Street parking as a "calming" measure

Thanks Jeff and I was aware that you will recognise the area I was referring to. The problem is that there a short term parking notice at the top and bottom of the road i.e 30 mins only but this has not been enforced todate. Thats the problem for me. If the 30mins parking restriction is enforced there won't be any problem for all motorists including myself. I find that going down the hill and over the bridge no problem at all but it is only going up the hill that is the real problem. Fortunately for me I have my AM and MP happy to take up my issue but I think the problem will be resolved if the 30 mins parking restriction is enforced. I am also NOW hopeful I might be able to resolve this by myself soon.

P.S Thanks Ant. I think the problem will be resolved if the Council's parking enforcement officer calls round and slaps a few tickets on the cars- cars that have over stayed the 30mins restriction.

[Texas]

Re: On Street parking as a "calming" measure

It's really quite simple:
1) Abolish all right turns.
2) Make every road in the country one way only, apart from cul de sacs.
We would then all go the long way and come back the short way, or vice versa.
Might cost a few bob though.

[Nathaniel]

Re: On Street parking as a "calming" measure

I have actually resolved this matter by ensuring that short term parking is enforced. This was always present but had fallen into disuse. So I took some photos of vehicles parked (inc registration number plate) in the short term parking areas (30 mins) and came back after about 90mins and took another set of photos and the cars that had not "moved" in the allowable 30mins and the evidence was sent to the council's parking dept. Needless to say the problem was quickly resolved with a few parking tickets!!!!!!

[keithd]

Re: On Street parking as a "calming" measure

where i live our problem is a cycle path that actually has a raised concrete edge road side. This takes about 4 feet off the road width and as such cars continuously have to give way to each other and the traffic is at a standstill on the village end every time a bus comes through.No one uses the cycle path time after time over the years numerous accidents have happened but it is a health and safety feature and the whole mile length of it is here forever.

[Nathaniel]

Re: On Street parking as a "calming" measure

I can understand how galling this can be. I think you can refer this matter to the Local Govt Ombudsman for your area to take a look.

[keithd]

Re: On Street parking as a "calming" measure

thx Nathaniel will look into it

[Nathaniel]

Re: On Street parking as a "calming" measure

I would suggest that you first "threaten" the department concerned that you intend logding a formal complaint with your Ombudsman etc. Very often this will work the trick. If it fails, you can still write to the ombudsman. I have changed things quite a lot just by a "threat" at the moment and this has done the trick. I am however watching the situation and if the old habits come back, I still have my legal right to make a formal complaint to our Ombudsman.