Agenda item

Councillor Richard Mills attended the meeting and spoke as a Ward Councillor.

Concerns and suggestions raised at the meeting included the following:

• Petitioners expressed concerns about the limited parking spaces for residents living on the green.
• It was stated that school buses as well as other large vehicles (occasionally lorries) also parked on the green, taking up two parking spaces at a time.
• Residents stated that since the back gates to the nearby school had been closed, parking problems had been further intensified with teachers parking on the green during the day.
• It was stated that parking spaces were also taken up by students from Brunel University, and in addition, people from the care home would sometimes park for two to three nights at a time.
• Petitioners suggested that the creation of parking spaces on the green would relieve parking pressures.
• Residents requested that a scheme similar to that installed in Pinn Way could be considered.

• It was suggested that there was a need to determine what residents were looking to achieve and wanted.  As during the summer of 2010, when residents were consulted about considering being included in a possible extension of the Cowley Parking Management Scheme (PMS), only 12 residents had responded. Out of the 12 responses, 10 had stated that they wanted no change.
• It was noted that there needed to be a consensus between residents as to the exact measures they wanted in order to address the issue of limited parking spaces in Maygoods Green.
• It was suggested that some residents would be unhappy at the loss of the green for parking bays.

Councillor Keith Borrows listened to the concerns of the petitioners and responded to the points raised. It was noted that residents had made it very clear in their previous responses and at this meeting, that they did not want a PMS to be introduced on the Green.

The introduction of a PMS in Nine Elms Avenue had meant that the parking problems had been shifted to Maygoods Green, as people looked to park elsewhere, thus taking up even more of the already limited parking spaces.

The Cabinet Member stated that, as it was clear that residents did not want any form of parking management scheme, officers would be instructed to look at the feasibility of using the Green to provide the type of parking that would be acceptable to residents. 

With regard to teachers parking in the Green, the School Travel Plan officer would be asked to liaise with the school to establish why teachers were not parking in the school grounds.

The Cabinet Member noted a further comment made about the issue of cars being parked on the pavement at Worcester Road and advised that the safety of children was paramount, and that this issue would be dealt with through the School Safety Officer and the Safer Neighbourhood Team.

RESOLVED: That the Cabinet Member:

1. Discussed with petitioners, their concerns with parking in Maygoods Green.

2. Discussed with petitioners, to find out their preferred course of action to address this issue, and agreed a way forward.

3. Instructed officers to look at the feasibility of a scheme.

REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION

It is not clear from the petition whether the residents are asking for a residents parking scheme, waiting restriction or another solution. These maybe identified with petitioners for further detailed investigation by officers.

ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS CONSIDERED

There are no other options that can be considered in this case.