Agenda item

Councillors Dominic Gilham, Peter Kemp and Paul Harmsworth attended as Ward Councillors. 

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

• Ms Clarke, the lead petitioner, spoke on behalf of the petitioners.
• The lead petitioner noted that a parking management scheme for resident parking was put in place last summer as the road was near Hillingdon Hospital.
• At the time of the scheme was implemented Ms Clarke felt that the difficulties with parking during term time had not been fully discovered.
• Ms Clarke was a childminder and had seen similar successful schemes to what they had petitioned for. One such scheme had been implemented near St Andrew’s school.
• Nearby roads were being consulted for resident parking zones. If these were implemented then parking for Colham School would be even more difficult for parents and child minders.
• The petitioners requested the Cabinet Member considered a pay and display option for the road, and a school permit scheme.
• Timing for parking was varied with nursery and school timings needed to be considered.
• Public transport was not an easy option for the petitioners to travel to the school as some were childminders and with more than one child with them. That it would often be more than one bus journey to take and walking was not ideal with the children. 
• A letter had been sent from the headteacher of Colham School that stated the school was expanding which meant the catchment area would increase. More people would be travelling from further away and by car into the school.

Ward Councillor Peter Kemp spoke on behalf of residents:

• Councillor Kemp spoke against the petition. He stated that residents had fought hard for a resident parking scheme to be put in place.
• The nearby hospital had caused a parking overflow onto the surrounding roads and schemes were designed to mitigate this.
• With more parking schemes that could be put in place in the future, this could further assist with controlling parking measures.
• The school could explore the use of their own land for parking for users.
• The school should be looking at a Green Travel Plan.
• Resident concerns were paramount.

Ward Councillor Paul Harmsworth spoke on behalf of residents:

• Councillor Harmsworth spoke against the petition and in support of the residents who had requested a controlled parking zone.
• He stated that a lot of time had been spent to get the parking scheme implemented and they did not want to take that away from residents.
• The Ward Councillor asked the petitioners to consider all options for getting to and from the school, and not just driving.

Ward Councillor Dominic Gilham spoke on behalf of residents:

• Councillor Gilham was aware of the problems at the school regarding parking and he was in support of the recommendations contained in the officer report.
• He supported the local residents of Yiewsley who could not park in their own street until the parking scheme was put in place.
• Councillor Gilham informed the petitioners that Ashwood and Beechwood had said no to a proposed parking scheme in the area.
• He wished to show his support to the petitioners as Borough residents but also expressed his support to his Ward.  

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

• The Cabinet Member advised that the scheme at St Andrew’s school was primarily a drop and go scheme. He asked officers to check this for clarification.
• A previous petition that the Cabinet Member had heard was in strong support for a resident parking scheme due to the parking issues caused by the nearby school and hospital.
• Ward Councillors fought hard for a parking scheme and were acting on behalf of the residents.
• He was sympathetic to the petitioners’ concerns and stated that a parking stress survey and discussion with the school could give alternative options.

Officers advised that:

• Officers would carry out a parking stress survey at various times during the day and produce a report.
• A parking stress survey would be carried out on a daily basis, survey the roads, cars would be observed, the length of time parked, how many cars, and patterns looked at. This would be done in the whole area and not just one street.

Resolved - That the Cabinet Member:

Reasons for recommendation

Parents and guardians had made a direct request for a school permit scheme that allowed permits parking within the residents parking scheme.

Alternative Options Considered

These were discussed with petitioners.