When the roads are full...

...the back lanes provide and ideal alternative!



This is the lane between Chatsworth Street and Greta Terrace where most of the homes have vehicle access into the back. The parked cars mean that there isn't enough room for residents to get their cars either in or out of the back yards. It isn't just a handful of streets affected by the lack of parking at the hospital, according to the Council 2700 households were sent information about the parking management schemes.

Next Residents Meeting: Tuesday 28th April

The next meeting will be on Tuesday 28th April at 7.00pm in St Josephs Parish Centre, Rutland Street. Everyone is welcome to join us.

The minutes of the last meeting on 31st March are posted below.

BARNES, PALLION & MILLFIELD RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION

Minutes of Meeting held 7.0pm 31.3.09
At St Joseph’s Parish Centre

Present: M. Greenfield, M Lundy, E Lardner, M Stanger, D Owens, A Robinson, T Hall,
M Langley, A Donkin, Cllr P Dixon, D Norman, M Peacock, P Tebbs, K Wilson,
M Carr, J Hickman, A Tumman, K Wilkinson, D.M. Murton, B Smith,
G Pensial, S Adamson.
Apologies: L Ranton.

Chairman’s Report
A Robinson began by going over the minutes of the previous meeting.
Members of the Committee reported that residents were still being subjected to both verbal and even written abuse from hospital staff parking in the side streets. It was suggested that all these incidents should be reported to the police as they were obliged to log the calls and also to the Hospital Trust as they would have to reply to correspondence received. In a recent letter from Carol Harries to Cllr Dixon, she stated that the Chief Executive had personally e-mailed all staff reminding them of their personal responsibilities in relation to parking in nearby residential streets. This had obviously not worked.

Cllr Dixon had received a memo from Phil Barrett, Development and Regeneration Services, stating that more than 2,700 properties around the Hospital had been surveyed. He also stated that restricted residents only parking would have a negative impact on the day-to-day running of the hospital if staff were unable to park in the surrounding streets. At the recent Council meeting it was stated that only 470 replies had been received. The majority option from these replies would be considered for implementation. The Committee requested a letter be sent to Mr Barrett requesting an accurate account of the properties surveyed under the Freedom of Information Act, a copy to be sent to Cllr Watson.

It was pointed out by some members that an increase in traffic warden presence had been noted since the recent public meetings but so far with no significant improvement.

Council Meeting
Cllr Dixon had presented our petition to the Council at their recent meeting. We await a response.

Website
Kate’s website was proving to be very successful with a majority of positive responses. The committee suggested a template letter to be put on the website in order for people to put their objections to the hospital application for planning permission. The closing date for these objections is 7th April. Public can also attend the Planning Meeting. Flyers and posters were being distributed as far as possible in order to inform the local residents of the website.

Any Other Business
Members pointed out that the parking situation in St Gabriels Avenue was also being aggravated by City Taxis, who have a contract with the Hospital, using the road outside the garages for their breaks while waiting for calls. Sometimes as many as five cabs at a time were parking there. Not only were they obstructing traffic and pedestrian access they were dumping rubbish (cigarette ends, teabags, orange peel and even empty food cartons littering the ground).

Rather than take action by blocking streets with our own cars, which would put people at risk, the committee agreed it would be more beneficial to try and involve our local MP Mr Bill Etherington.

The Committee wished to thank both St Joseph’s Parish Centre and St Mary Magdelene’s Church for their kind offer of use of their premises.
The Sunderland Echo were also following our progress and keeping in regular contact with Amanda.

Cllr Dixon impressed upon the Committee the need to concentrate on pressing the council to implement residents only parking, as this was the only way to force the Hospital Trust into finding a solution for their staff parking.
In a letter to Cllr Dixon, Carol Harries (Trust Secretary) had stated that the Hospital were willing to work with the council on resolving the parking situation. This was contradictory to statements by the council. The committee suggested a letter be sent to Carol Harries stating that we did object in principal to their extension plans but that provision for car parking should be a priority in these plans and also reiterate the stress and distress this situation was causing our residents. A copy to be sent to Cllr Watson.

The meeting closed at 8.10pm.
The next meeting to be Tuesday 28th April at 7.0pm at St Joseph’s Parish Centre.

Power to the People?

There has been a great response to the planning application with about 90 objections posted at the last count. Thanks to everyone who took the time to send their opinions to the Council. Let's hope the planners and Councillors take note!

On the subject of 'taking note', it is wonderful to read how the Leader of the Council, Cllr Paul Watson (of Pallion ward) has stated in his weekly blog that:

"It is the council’s job to listen to and work with communities to ensure that our services – and those of our partners – are as good as possible. From our investment in schools and roads to looking after people in their own homes and caring for the environment, we are continually looking at how we’re performing and listening to what people tell us to make sure that the needs of residents continue to be at the heart of everything that we do...

"It means that you are going to be able to play a much bigger part in the future of your area. There will be better ways for people to give their views and influence the decisions that affect them and their local areas. You can be assured that what you tell us will be acted upon".

You can read the whole article HERE.

More Inconsiderate Parking !

Here we have another example of the problems caused by parking in the area around the hospital! This car was parked across the entrance to St Gabriel's church car park yesterday afternoon preventing cars from getting out. We don't know how long it was there for but it was long enough to cause problems.

If you haven't yet commented on the lack of new car parking spaces in the hospitals planning application but would like to, you can find more details here. Comments should be in by the end of tomorrow.

Don't forget to return your slip to Cllr Lee Martin for the latest parking scheme option!

Residents Parking - New Option

Following on from the seven options for residents parking schemes, we have been informed that an 8th option is being proposed. Details have now been sent out to all in the area.

The proposed scheme will be free to residents and will limit parking to 2 hours for hospital patients & visitors, shoppers etc.

The letter is accompanied with a tear-off slip. This should be filled in and returned as soon as possible to the FREEPOST address on the slip.

Thanks to Councillor Lee Martin of Barnes ward for this proposal.

Parking Rage

We can appreciate how stressful it can be when parking is difficult, particularly at your place of work, but it is often difficult to have much sympathy for the hospital staff who use our residential streets as their own private car park. While the hospital car park may fill up fairly quickly, there are still spaces available at 8 o'clock in the morning. However, our roads and pavements are free as opposed to the £1.20 per day fee charged by the hospital or the monthly permits for £14.40.

Finding a parking space when attending the hospital as a visitor or patient is also stressful. However, sympathy for these peoples' plight is lost on hearing about the abuse that residents have suffered from the staff and visitors. Threats to "punch your teeth out" or to burn a house or car down do little for their cause and it was a nurse who left a note on an elderly gentleman's car which was parked safely and legally outside his own home, calling him a "selfish bastard".

Wouldn't all of these people be better off in a hospital multi-storey car park?

Objection to the Planning Application

Below is a template that you could use to object to the hospitals planning application.
Feel free to copy this into a letter or email. You can add to it or cut bits as you see fit, according to your own views on the redevelopment.

(Can we point out that the objections we have are to the lack of car parking provision within the plans for the site. We do not object to improving healthcare facilities for Sunderland. Considerable changes have taken place at the Royal Hospital site in recent years and there will be more in the next few years. The car parking issues must therefore be resolved at this stage).

Whatever you do say in your letter or email, if you object you must include the word object (or objection) otherwise your views may just be taken as a comment and not counted as an objection.
Also, you should give your name and address so that they can see you are a local resident with a valid interest in the application.
Also quote the application number: 09/00997/FUL

Clicking here will take you directly to the council planning website where you can leave your comments (link opens in a new window).

Or you can Email: dc@sunderland.gov.uk

Or write to: Head of Planning and Environment, PO Box 102, Civic Centre, Sunderland. SR2 7DN

SAMPLE LETTER:


Re: Planning Application number 09/00997/FUL - Development at Sunderland Royal Hospital

I wish to object to this planning application on the following grounds:

Currently, there is insufficient parking provision on site, a fact acknowledged by both the Hospital Trust and the City Council and a reality that local residents are only too familiar with. Long term parking in the streets around the hospital is a major issue for local residents and this redevelopment on the Hospital site will contribute further to these problems. The proposals include the creation of just 139 new car parking spaces, with 114 available for normal use (the remainder being disabled spaces). This is not enough to cope with the existing pressures on the site and will have no impact once the additional 138 beds and extended treatment facilities are opened.

The planning application states that “the proposed development represents part of a wider ongoing redevelopment programme planned for the Royal Hospital.” If additional redevelopments are to go ahead in the future, as well as those which have taken place in recent years, these parking issues must be resolved at this stage.

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