Agenda item

Councillor Richard Mills attended as a Ward Councillor in support of the petitioners. 

Concerns, comments and suggestions raised at the meeting included the following:

• Mr Darren Grant, the Lead Petitioner, spoke on behalf of the petitioners. He spoke on behalf of residents at Robinwood Grove and Greensleaves. 
• The Officer report stated that 77% of households at Robinwood Grove supported the application of Robinwood Grove Residents Limited to have Robinwood Grove designated a Residents’ Parking Permit Zone. Mr Grant suggested that this would have been 100% if all residents were at home to see the application.
• There were 26 apartments at Robinwood Grove. It was a small community and a cul du sac.
• The area was in close proximity to Hillingdon Hospital, Brunel University and Bishopshalt School. There was an overflow of non-residential parking on the road, particularly between the hours of 8am until 5pm.
• The increase in use of vehicles on the road had become a concern for residents. There were as many as 11 vehicles parked on one side of the Grove.
• Residents that wished to access the road were inconvenienced due to the increase in people parking on the road.
• The residents of Greensleeves had people parking cars on either side of the entrance to their homes. This meant that residents often had to mount the kerb to exit or enter the road.
• The road was only 17 feet wide which meant it became very congested especially when cars were parked.
• There were often occasions when cars were not parked close to the kerb which made it difficult for cars to pass in an already narrow road.
• There was a problem in regard to emergency vehicle access to the properties. For example, a fire engine may not be able to drive through when cars were parked.
• There had been an occasion when a refuse lorry had not been able to access the properties.
• Some people that parked their cars on the road would leave litter on the road.
• Petitioners felt that with a controlled parking zone/permit scheme, that this issue on the road could be controlled.
• Having spoken to several residents the petitioners felt that the road could be hazardous to drive on, particularly during the school-run.
• Petitioners queried the controlled parking zone timing.

Ward Councillor Richard Mills spoke and raised the following points:

• Councillor Richard Mills stated that all three Ward Councillors were in support of the residents.
• He had visited the road during lunchtime and it was clearly evident that parking was an issue.
• There was a parking management scheme in place in the Brunel area and this forced workers to park further away including within the Grove.
• He asked that the residents considered the various options of controlled parking, and that a permit zone may not be the ideal option. This needed to be explored.
• Councillor Mills felt that an appropriate measure needed to be put in place in the area.

Councillor Keith Burrows listened to the concerns of the petitioners and responded to the points raised:

• The Cabinet Member asked officers to check whose responsibility the hedges in the road were as these needed trimming and would help with visibility.
• He asked petitioners how often during the day residents or visitors parked on the road during the day. Petitioners replied that this was rare.
• The Cabinet Member informed petitioners that a yellow line with hours of parking permitted was a measure that had worked well in similar areas and this could be considered by residents. 
• The Cabinet Member explained that any consultation sent to residents would set out the different options available. Residents could respond after considering the various options available to them in order to decide what they felt the most suitable option would be. 
• The Cabinet Member ensured petitioners that enforcement officers visit would periodically provide a sweep of the area to enforce any parking restrictions.
• He explained to petitioners that a yellow line option would be applicable to all drivers.
• That if the residents wished to discuss the options available to them that officers and Ward Councillors could assist them.
• The Cabinet Member agreed that as 77% of the residents had signed the petition the Council would move forward to a statutory consultation, rather than an informal consultation as strong support was already evident.

Officers advised that:

• As part of the statutory Traffic Order consultation, they would put up notices in the area and place an advert in the local paper.
• That as the Cabinet Member had agreed to move straight to a statutory consultation this should speed up the process.
• Anyone who wished to object would have the opportunity to. If the Council received any objections then this would go through the formal process whereby a report would be produced for the Cabinet Member, who would make a decision on whether or not to proceed with making the order.

Resolved - That the Cabinet Member:

1.                  Discussed with petitioners their concerns with parking in Robinwood Grove.

2.                  Asked officers to place this request on the Council’s parking programme for subsequent detailed investigation and consultation.

Reasons for recommendation

Residents were asking for a residents’ parking scheme; however following further discussions with petitioners other options could have been identified which may have been more appropriate to address their concerns.

Alternative Options Considered

The residents had made a specific request for a resident permit parking scheme.  However an informal consultation with residents allowed consideration of various options for measures to control parking in their road.