Agenda item

Report of the Corporate Director (Resources, Environment and Cultural Services) on the introduction of waiting restrictions and verge and footway prohibition in various roads, Birchwood, Hatfield.

Report of the Corporate Director (Resources, Environment and Cultural Services) on the introduction of waiting restrictions and verge and footway prohibition in various roads, Birchwood, Hatfield.  The report noted that in November 2016, the Council delivered parking survey forms to all residents within the Birchwood area.  Residents were asked if they would like to see any changes to the parking restrictions, options included in the resident permit schemes and single/double yellow lines.  Birchwood was split into three areas.  Area Three and Great North Road was completed in 2018 and the report focused on the remaining sections of the Birchwood consultation area.

Areas two and three are mainly residential with some shops within Birchwood Avenue by the junctions of Homestead Road and Crawford Road.  To the east of the residential areas is the Great North Road industrial area.  Some residents within the consultation area had previously contacted Parking Services highlighting significant parking demand in certain roads, often where there is a cluster of homes close together, sharing a small section of highway.  Parking Services carried out parking improvements within the area where it was possible to introduce extra parking spaces.  This included the creation of additional 9 parking bays in Cornerfield and 7 bays in Branch Close.

The results of the informal consultation, the statutory consultation and the recommended course of action were presented.  A total of 1647 residents and businesses had been consulted.  Six objections had been received and these were shown in Appendix A attached to the report.

The Officer advised that Council Officers had been out on site on a Friday night and witnessed at 12.30am that out of the nine parking bays there were three spaces available. 

It was noted that the Council can amend proposals once advertised, as long as they make the scheme less restrictive.  This can be done without having to re-advertise the Traffic Regulation Order.  It was brought to the Panel’s attention that the Council’s standard procedure is to monitor new parking restrictions for the first six months after they have been implemented.  A discussion ensued on obtaining amendments to the proposals once these have been executed. 

Members agreed with the proposals for verge and footway prohibition Order to help alleviate the problem of parking and to provide parking bays.  A Member expressed concern in respect of the statement within the report ‘additional nine parking spaces in nearby Cornerfield, which can be accessed in a 2-5 minute walk via a pathway to Great Heath opposite those parking bays’.  He advised that for some residents a car is an expensive item and parking the vehicle at a distance whereby its alarm is not audible to the owner can be an issue.

Further consideration was given to public transport links, travelling to the train station and a need for an improved County bus service to reduce car journeys.

There was one late objection received pertaining to yellow lines which was considered with the proposals for Great Heath to improve road safety and visibility and to formalise what is already within the highway code – not to park within 10 metres of a junction.  Photographic evidence had been provided within the report of vehicles parked at the junction causing an obstruction and difficulty for large refuse vehicles.

It was moved by Councillor H. Bromley, seconded by Councillor S. Glick and

RESOLVED

(unanimously)

That having considered the objections received and in particular the issues raised around equalities and diversity and all the detailed issues in the report, including any proposed mitigating actions, the Panel recommends to the Cabinet to proceed with the creation of the Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) for all the reasons set out in the report.

The Chairman thanked the Panel for their attendance and work during the past year.