Agenda item

The Cabinet Member considered a petition from residents requesting the removal of double yellow lines and replacement of the grass verge with parking bays on Harmondsworth Road, West Drayton

The Lead Petitioner was present and made a number of points, including:

• the grass verge was in poor condition.
• The service road (adjacent to Harmondsworth Road), in addition to the grass verge, was constantly congested and abused for double parking. Parking on pavements and drives was also noticeable in this vicinity.
• The removal of the grass verge was requested due to its ineffectiveness. The verge was requested to be paved over and converted into new parking bays, in order to provide safe parking spaces (estimated to be between 8-10 new spaces) for shoppers and residents whilst visiting the nearby commercial premises.
• The proposed construction of a new leisure centre nearby, in order to commemorate the platinum jubilee, would further limit parking availability for local businesses and residents.
• The double yellow lines should be removed to facilitate improved parking.
• The cycle lane requiring the double yellow lines was rarely used, and bicycles and buses allegedly used the entirety of Yiewsley High Street without double yellow lines, suggesting that they were unnecessary.

The Cabinet Member acknowledged the difficulties set out and also accepted the potential problems with parking as a result of the planned leisure centre.

Councillor June Nelson, Ward Councillor for Heathrow Villages reaffirmed her support for the petitioners stating:

• The subject matter of this petition had been a problem for a number of years now.
• Accessibility for emergency vehicles was a worrying consequence of these issues.
• The lack of a parking management scheme was problematic for residents and local businesses, and the removal of the grass verge would contribute towards solving a number of the complications that had arisen from the situation.

A local business owner raised a different issue regarding parking complications in the locality; and asserted that people were often leaving their cars parked for weeks and sometimes months outside their premises, which was affecting their business due to a lack of customer parking.

·         The Cabinet Member responded, advising that more parking spaces (as requested by the petitioner) wouldn’t necessarily deter long term parking, but rather encourage it.

·         A pay and display implementation may benefit the local businesses but could adversely affect residents.

·         Regarding a resident parking scheme, the Cabinet Member replied that the criteria for such a solution stipulated a large area and confirmed that this issue did not fall under such a categorization.

RESOLVED: That the Cabinet Member for Property, Highways and Transport:

1)    met with petitioners and listened to their request to remove part of the grass verge between the service road and main carriageway fronting numbers 13-19 Harmondsworth Road.

2)    Asked officers in the Council’s Highways team to investigate the feasibility of this request and to report back to him.

3)    Asked officers to investigate whether it might be possible to remove the double yellow line on the main carriageway;

Reasons for recommendations:

The Petition Hearing provided a valuable opportunity to hear directly from the petitioners of their concerns and suggestions.

Alternative options considered / risk management:

None at this stage.