The End to the Parking Misery is in Sight!

People living in the area around the hospital will this week receive details of the latest proposal for a Parking Management Scheme. The council officers have worked closely with residents and councillors to develop this scheme.

Previous schemes didn't receive enough support to be adopted, partly as it covered such a large area. The latest scheme covers a smaller area but includes those streets which are most affected by hospital parking.

Only permit holders will be able to park in affected streets between 10am and 11am and between 2pm and 3pm. Outside of these two 1-hour slots, parking is open to all. This will prevent people parking for the whole day outside your homes. For example, a non-resident parking at 9am will have to remove their car by 10am (unless they are visiting a resident and display a visitors permit). These hours have been chosen to accommodate local shops, businesses and schools as well as hospital patients and visitors while at the same time removing all those cars which currently park all day.

The first residents permit will be free and charges will be made for extra permits and visitors permits. These charges have been set so that the scheme pays for itself, i.e. covering the cost of administrating and policing the scheme.

The Residents Association encourage all residents to vote for this scheme. This is likely to be the last chance we have to do something about the high numbers of cars parking in residential streets. A situation which is worsening rapidly. As this is a pilot scheme, once it is up and running it will be reviewed regularly to see if any tweeks are needed, including monitoring streets surrounding the scheme to see if the parking zones need to be extended.

Any comments or questions can be raised at the Residents Association's November meeting on Tuesday 2nd, in St Josephs Parish Centre.