Agenda item

Concerns and suggestions raised at the meeting included the following:

• The petitioners did not think the proposed recommendation of reducing the hours of operation of the single yellow line waiting restrictions in Tweeddale Grove to a one-hour morning and afternoon waiting restriction would help with the issues they were faced with.
• It was felt that this recommendation would not assist with parents picking up and dropping off children or those parents who had to pick up children during the day if they were sick.
• Staff at the nursery had been advised by the MOD that they could park in its properties’ visitor parking spaces.  However, some of the residents in the area had been abusive to the staff and blocking their vehicles in, resulting in the staff being pressured to park elsewhere.
• There was a space at the back of the nursery, which could potentially be used as a car park for staff and for parents to drop off their children.
• Another alternative that was suggested was that staff received parking permits similar to the scheme used in Hampstead.
• Parents were keen to drop their children off properly, not quickly push them through the door but they were pressurised to be quick as parking attendants were frequently around.
• Parents suggested a permit that would allow them 15 minutes to park as being ideal.
• The parking restrictions had been introduced to eradicate commuter parking and stop local car rental companies from using the street to park their vehicles.
• Petitioners were concerned that a parking restriction for one hour in the middle of the day would still not solve the problem with parents dropping their children off or the problems that staff had with parking.

Councillor Keith Burrows listened to the concerns of the petitioners and responded to the points raised.  It was noted that there were 3 options that could be considered:

1.      Change the parking restriction to 1 hour in the middle of the day- this option would prevent commuters from parking all day but would not stop local car companies from parking their vehicles in the area;

2.      Reduce the current parking restriction to 1 hour each morning and afternoon; or

3.      Remove the parking restriction completely - Petitioners were advised that commuters would be able to park on the street if the parking restrictions were lifted which would cause further parking problems for residents, parents and nursery staff.

Officers were asked to investigate the ownership of the land at the rear of the nursery. Once this ownership had been established, officers were asked to report back to Councillor Burrows on whether the area could potentially be converted into a car park.

Councillor Burrows advised the petitioners that, after the investigation into the land has been carried out, if they were unhappy with the outcome, they would be able to  come back with another petition.

Resolved - 

That the Cabinet Member:

1.      Noted the petition request.

2. Met with and listened to the petitioners’ concerns regarding parking issues on Tweeddale Grove and Pentland Way.
3. Asked officers to reduce the hours of operation of the single yellow line experimental waiting restrictions in Tweeddale Grove and Pentland Way from ‘Mon-Fri, 8.30am-10.30 am’ and ‘3.30pm-4.30pm’ to a one-hour morning and afternoon waiting restriction of ‘Mon-Fri, 9.30am-10.30am and 3.30pm-4.30pm’.
4. Asked officers to establish the ownership of the land which petitioners have identified, and report this back to the Cabinet Member on whether this could potentially be converted into a car park.

Reasons For Recommendation

To Investigate The Petitioners’ Request In Further Detail.

Alternative Options Considered

Options Will Be Discussed With The Petitioners.

Relevant Ward

West Ruislip