Agenda item

The Cabinet Member considered a petition from residents of St Davids Close requesting a parking management scheme. In support of the petition, the petitioners spoke of their concerns and suggestions including the following:

·         An extension to the Cowley Parking Management Scheme was offered to residents five or six years ago. At the time residents requested to be excluded from the scheme.

·         Since their initial request the circumstances have changed and residents now need the parking management scheme on their road.

·         There have been safety concerns on the roads, with cars being parked in front of driveways. As driveways are being blocked, it is causing difficulties for residents to leave their properties. 

·         Inconsiderate parking issues have led to confrontation with people, which is causing residents to have security concerns.

·         There is plenty of available parking on nearby roads that are not included as part of the parking management scheme.

·         Parking bays would be safest option on the road.

Councillor Richard Mills attended the meeting and spoke as Ward Councillor in support of the petition. He reiterated that the view of residents had now changed since the initial consultation and they requested formalised parking bays to assist with the inconsiderate parking issues on the road.

Councillor Burrows listened to the concerns of the petitioners and responded to the points raised. Councillor Burrows explained that the Council had new powers to install signs at the entrance of St Davids Close which would indicate that the Close was only resident parking. However, in order for this system to work, residents would need to work together to regulate the area and would be responsible for how cars would be parked. He noted that this may not be the most appropriate option if there was already a concern of anti social behaviour amongst residents. He explained that marked bays could be an option but made residents aware that this would lead to a reduction in available parking spaces. He suggested providing both options to residents as part of the consultation and to make a decision once the consultation had concluded. He told residents that the consultation would take place in December and would be added to the consultation in St Peechys Road.

In considering the matters, Councillors Burrows made the following decisions. 

RESOLVED -

1.    Meeting with the Petitioners, the Cabinet Member for Planning, Transportation and Recycling:

2.    Listened to their request for the introduction of a Parking Management Scheme in St David Close, Cowley;

3.    Noted that the creation of a formalised parking scheme will result in an overall reduction of parking capacity, in comparison with the present unregulated situation;

4.    Asked officers to investigate further the request for a Parking Management Scheme in St David Close and to report back to the Cabinet Member and Local Ward Councillors on the feasibility of a scheme; and

5.    Agreed with the Ward Councillor that the consultation would happen in December 2017.

Reasons for decision

To allow the Cabinet Member to discuss with petitioners their concerns and, if appropriate, add their request to the parking schemes programme.

Alternative options considered and rejected

These were discussed with petitioners