Background
A report to Cabinet in January 2007 described a history of vandalism to signs (to allow unrestricted parking), and frequent use of the 25 space ‘car park’ for visits to town centre shops (that in turn reduced capacity for access to adjacent shops and medical facilities).
Cabinet approved a proposal to retain the existing 2-hour waiting restriction and to overlay a 10p/20 minute charge from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (subject the statutory process for consultation). The resolution has yet to be implemented.
The construction of Concept House caused parking problems between 2009 and 2010. The car park was subject to repeated abuse by contractors, and parking space outside the surgery was frequently abused by delivery lorries awaiting site access.
Of late, complaints have been received from residents and traders about on-street parking by residents of Concept House. It is claimed this impairs local trade and is the outcome of unfair parking allocation within the development.
Survey Work
Regarding Concept House, a ‘before and after’ survey has been carried out by the Transportation Strategy Officer.
Regarding trader concerns about the adequacy of parking, a survey has been carried out by the Parking Manager.
Summary Findings
Concept House Survey
The survey suggests there has been no change to residential parking levels on Abbey Way, Monks Close, Douai Close, Carlyon Close, Rapolio Close and Clockhouse Road.
In contrast, there has been an increase in residential parking on Salisbury Road, Church Avenue, and Salisbury Road Car Park. This does not appear to originate from Concept House during weekdays, but other evidence confirms this is likely be the case regarding evening/overnight/early morning parking.
Parking within Concept House appears to be underused, but contractual arrangements between the developer and residents are significant and to a large extent determine occupancy. A parking management contractor has been appointed by the developer who, we understand, is proposing to introduce and enforce a residents’ permit parking scheme. With this in mind, it would be inappropriate for the Council to involve itself directly in the management of parking within the complex.
Trader Survey (ADP Dental Care, Alexander House Surgery, Lloyds Pharmacy, Currylicious, Mattik Polish Shop, Ford Mears Undertakers)
The consensus view of traders is that:
- the existing 2-hour waiting period is too long – medical practitioners have their own parking for longer appointments;
- the 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. Monday – Saturday restriction is too short and there are calls to extend this to 10 p.m. and to Sundays to protect local trade and deter overnight parking;
- traders will support a structured parking charge to deter ongoing town centre parking and residential parking;
- medical practitioners are calling for more disabled parking, more protection of entrances (double yellow lines), and better bay markings (i.e. general improvements)
- Lloyds described an early morning parking problem caused by overnight parking (residents are not in contravention until 10 a.m.)
- Lloyds and Currylicious described ‘wall-to-wall’ evening/overnight parking from 4 p.m.
- Alexander House Surgery and ADP advised of overnight residential parking in their own car parks, plus a lot of town centre parking that reduces capacity for patients.
Conclusions
The Salisbury Road (on-street parking and car park) restrictions fail to meet the needs of local businesses and their patrons, and require adjustment.
Daytime congestion on Salisbury Road/car park/A325 does not appear to originate from Concept House. It appears to arise from shoppers visiting the town centre. A reduction in the waiting time and a parking charge will overcome this, which in turn will increase turnover and available parking space.
Evening and night parking on Salisbury Road car park and in the immediate vicinity (largely by residents of/visitors to Concept House), is the result of convenience parking, not necessarily arising from the inadequacy of parking within the complex. The extension of parking restrictions and a charging regime will deter residential parking, and in all probability drivers will then utilise the parking available within the complex.
We need to improve parking standards by increasing the number of disabled parking spaces on-street, laying down double yellow lines across dropped kerbs, improving markings, and introducing better regulation of the area.
Recommendations
.
We propose to:
(i) reduce the existing duration of parking from 2-hours, to 1-hour
(ii) extend the restriction from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Saturday, to 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Sunday.
(iii) introduce a charge of 20p/20minutes up to the proposed maximum 1-hr limit, initially on the car park, and possibly on Salisbury Road and the A325 the latter subject to further review and consultation (we will offer a two-part ticket if traders wish to offer a full or part refund to customers).
(iv) while making the proposed changes, to improve disabled parking and entrance protection.
Mike Bamber Jim Pettitt
Parking Manager Transportation Strategy Officer.
17/11/2010
8 comments:
I can only believe the Transportation Strategy Officer carried out the survey of Abbey Way during office hours. During evenings and weekends the stretch of Abbey Way closest to the Concept Development is full of parked cars both sides of the road making it difficult for some residents to exit their driveways. Cars are sometimes half parked on pavements which is a further inconvenience to pedestrians. Residents of Abbey Way are unable to park in the road outside their own homes and parking for visitors is now severely restricted. The difficulty in parking in the bottom stretch of Abbey Way in the evenings and weekends has coincided with the full occupation of the Concept Development ; before this time there may have been 2 or 3 cars parked in this stretch of the road during the evenings and weekends.
The lower stretch of Abbey Way has become a parking lot for the residents of the Concept development. This is not fair to the residents of Abbey Way nor the residents of the Concept Development
We would like to contest the assertions made in the report given regarding the problems of parking since the development of the Concept site.
Rather than stating that there is not a problem in Abbey Way, we would state that since the development, we have noticed a marked increase in parking on both sides of the road, and for us this gives the following problems:
1.Considerable parking, so that it can be extremely difficult to reverse out of the drive early in the morning (7.30am) as cars are parked on either side of our driveway (No 9) and opposite the drive as well. There is frequently a large transit -type van parked and this makes the visibility even more tricky. In the evening my husband has sometimes been unable to park on the drive because of the way in which cars are parked, so he cannot turn in. (usually about 7pm) Tonight, in the vicinity there are 10 parked cars.
2. Street parking is also noticeable over the weekends, when no parking limitations are in force. Most houses near the Concept development end of Abbey Way, that is up the junction of Monks Close, will have cars parked outside from Friday evening often over most of the weekend.
3. Often cars are parked up the pavement, causing difficulty for pedestrians.
4. There has been occasional noise late at night with people either leaving cars parked on the street, or returning from the Concept development.
Abbey Way is used as a cut through for Rectory Road, and some cars are driving through the street with heavy street parking at speeds that could be considered to be dangerous with the reduction in visibility.
A check up of records of parking tickets issued on Abbey Way should indicate that there has been an increase in the number of tickets issued over the last 9 months or so. If the Warden was to visit more often, there would be even more tickets to issue!
One additional point, was that I had a conversation with one driver who was leaving his car outside, who apologised for this, and left his card in case we needed him to move the car if it caused an obstruction for our drive. He stated that he had been living in the development since this time last year, and at that point was able to park on site in one of the general community places. However recent unit sales appear to have been offered with guaranteed parking allocation on site, thus removing spaces from the community parking facility.
From a very worried Church Warden.
The introduction of a 1 hr limit to Salisbury Road and an extension of the restriction to include the majority of Sunday, would seriously affect the available parking for Sunday worship at St Peters. St Peters is a very lively church and service times definitely take car users over the hour, and for some it can be all morning, or a big proportion of the afternoon and evening. Also, and for some more importantly, weddings on Saturdays would be overshadowed and funerals would be affected during the week. Having to attend a funeral is usually a very emotional period, and wondering if you are parked legally is an issue that really should not have to be part of that particular event.
A worried church warden
I should also note in addition to my previous comment that to my knowledge St Peters was not consulted on this very important local issue where as various other businesses were. These proposals would have a huge impact on the life and operation of a busy church in Farnborough. Can I please ask that any further thoughts, surveys or proposed actions that need comment on have St Peters church included. St Peters church is closer to Salisbury Rd than the Concept buildings.
Were these recommendations to be implemented the consequence would simly be to transfer the problem to other residential areas. Rapallo Close, for example,is within easy reach of both the Town Centre and the Concept complex and already suffers from Town Centre and convenience parking.This situation would only get worse.What steps are being taken to protect a very large number of local residents?
A considerable number of residents like myself on the Concept development rarely have access to parking on the site due to the over subscription of parking for affordable housing schemes and not enough private spaces. There is also NO visitor parking on the Concept development. Whilst there are talks with the site management to improve the situation I cannot see it resolving. If there are tighter parking restrictions put in place in the local area I will not be able to keep my car simply because I cannot park it. We are not rebels or holigans we are home owners and we only wish to come home from work and park our vehicles!
It is time the council planning department were made accountable for the lack of parking in the area. On 30th March 2007 they endorsed the Concept development plans including the surface car park which is almost entirely restricted to the Housing Associate tenants and allows little or no parking facility for the private owners of which there are in excess of 50 private owners with no parking allocation. It is time the council intervened and sorted this out to the benefit of ALL the residents of Farnborough in this area.
This is an absolute disgrace. Private residents on the Concept Development still do not have anywhere to park on the estate yet further restrictions are being imposed outside of the estate. When is somebody finally going to take responsibility in addressing the real issue here in that the concept development car park sits half empty most days yet private residents are not allowed to park there. We have no alternative but to park on the streets. Surely it would be more practical to address this issue or does it make more sense to have a residents car park sitting empty instead. This shows a complete lack of forward thinking. Just to be clear this is not being addressed by the management company at all as per David Clifford's comments.
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