Next Meeting: Tuesday 13th October

Next meeting is at St Mary Magdelenes Church Hall, Wilson Street on Tuesday 13th October at 7pm.

Minutes of the last meeting are posted below.

BARNES,PALLION & MILLFIELD RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION
Minutes of Meeting held 15th September 2009
St Mary Magdelene’s Church Hall at 7.0pm

Chairman’s Update
Amanda opened the meeting by explaining that replies to the letters sent to Councillors and MPs’ (as recorded in the previous months minutes) had been received. Copies of which were distributed to the meeting. Mr KW Bremner, Chief Executive, City Hospitals, Sunderland had replied to Mr Bill Etherington Mp stating that the hospital felt it had taken very reasonable steps to ease the impact of car parking on the residents. The cost of a multi story car park would be very prohibitive and come at the cost of providing other services. He states that a further park and ride from the old forge site would also be provided during the construction of the new ward block.

Both Bill Etherington and Chris Mullin had received a reply from Mr Phil Barrett, Development and Regeneration Services stating that discussions with the Dept of Transport allowed for no marked parking bays with Parking Zone signs in areas for permit holders only. Permits would also be available for visitors of both residents and business. Cabinet approval was given on July 29th for the holding of a further consultation with residents and businesses in the hospital area.

L Ranton had also written to the Prime Minister Gordon Brown but as expected his representatives answer was that he was sure the council would find a solution for us in due course. L Ranton stated that she could keep this representative informed of the council’s progress or not and ask for his further help in intervening with the council if necessary. A copy of the letter could be passed to Paul Watson, Leader of the Council.

The council report had advised visitors permits be for two hours only. This was not acceptable. Cllr Watson during a telephone discussion with Amanda had surmised that a charge of maybe £10 be made for second permits. There was no guarantee this would not increase. P Dixon stated that the hospital would still wish to sell permits to their own staff. S Adamson stated the hospital already issued more car parking permits to their own staff

than parking places available in the grounds of the hospital. There was no guarantee they would not continue to do this with street parking permits also. M Stanger reported that local businesses were not happy as they needed parking places for their staff also. Following discussion the meeting agreed that a letter be sent to Cllr Watson stating that any further public consultation would be doomed if the revised plans they had come up with so far were put to the residents and businesses.

It was pointed out that the Hospital Park and Rides were now starting earlier at 7.40am and finishing later at 5.45pm for a trial period of four weeks in order to see if the staff would find this beneficial. The Park and Rides did not run on Sundays or Bank Holdiays and public transport was also reduced on these days. Millfield metro station was no longer included in the scheme. It was agreed that it would take a lot of persuading for people to give up their cars in favour of park and ride or public transport schemes.

Cllr Cecilia Gofton for Pallion Ward had put letters in all the doors stating that she would call personally at all doors with notices in their windows to answer people’s concerns. Many local residents were still waiting for her to call. A Robinson had spoken to Cllr Gofton who stated she would only talk to people on a one-to-one basis and was not willing to attend our meetings. It was pointed out that neither Cllrs Watson, Gofton or Wilson were available on many occasions at their advertised weekly surgery in Pallion Action Group.

A Robinson showed the meeting flyers for the residents to place under windscreen wipers on cars asking them politely to park with consideration for the feelings of the local residents. Anyone wanting these flyers to contact the secretary.

The meeting discussed the problems caused by the new traffic flow system on Ormonde Street and Chester Road junction. The increase of traffic in the side streets was considerable and the sign posting also caused confusion. The meeting agreed a letter be sent to Cllr Watson stating our concerns.


Any Other Business
P Dixon advised the meeting to write to the Council to ask for a list of numbers envisaged in
Residents parking only. Need a guarantee that hospital permits would be kept to a minimum with reductions each year. Yellow lines should be placed in all back lanes. Local businesses should not have to suffer as they are allowed to load and offload. Businesses should be allowed parking for their customers and should be included in the planned consultation. The revenue required by the council to implement these schemes should be the least consideration as the safety of the residents and pedestrians in these areas was the higher priority. The planned parking meters proposed for Kayll Road should help to offset costs.

It was proposed that flyers be placed through doors of streets affected by the no right turn at Chester Road/Ormonde Street junction asking for their comments. S Adamson agreed to be contact.
At present to leave St Gabriels Estate to gain access to Ormonde Street you either had to drive into Henderson Road and negotiate the parked cars there in order to then turn right onto Kayll Road and then cross Chester Road and go straight on to Ormonde Steet or turn left onto Chester Road, drive down to and turn right into Grindon Terrace then right into General Graham Street then left into Chatsworth Street, (all of whom have their own parking problems because of hospital staff and visitors) right into Cleveland Road and then finally left into Ormonde Street to continue on to the Barnes roundabout. The other alternative is to across to Ewesley Road and then cross both Cleveland Road and Mount Road which already have a lot of school traffic from Barnes School.

Bollards should be requested for the remaining corners on St Gabriels Estate as the cars parked across these were a nightmare for residents. The bollards on Henderson Road which were not wanted were causing their own problems by restricting access from Erith Terrace into Henderson Road.

City Cabs were still causing problems by double and even quadruple parking outside the garages in St Gabriel’s Avenue. Even though they were not obstructing traffic as such they were making it necessary for pedestrians to have to walk into the rood to get past. Maybe the hospital could be asked to help as it was their contract with City Cabs which encouraged the taxis to park near the hospital.

P Dixon handed out leaflets advising residents they could attend Local Area Committee meetings and ask questions directly themselves.

The meeting also agreed that flyers be posted through all the doors advising residents of our progress so far and thanking them for their continued support.

The meeting closed at 8.10pm.