Concern over parking curbs
Horsham Today
PROPOSALS to introduce widespread parking controls in many of the town's most densely populated areas have sparked concern among some local residents.
The parking controls apply to Horsham town centre, Roffey, Broadbridge Heath, Southwater, Warnham and villages throughout the south of the district, and have been put forward by West Sussex County Council (WSCC) which proposes to make a permanent order under the provisions of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984.
But this week WSCC assured residents that the permanent order sought to tidy up existing traffic orders dating back to the 1950s and 1960s and was essentially a paper-exercise, with the new map based schedules making the regulations easier to understand and enforce traffic controls.
The parking order comes four months after new on-street parking regulations were introduced in the Horsham district. The introduction of Local Authority Parking Enforcement (LAPE) – a venture between WSCC and Horsham District Council – brought both on and off-street parking under the day-to-day management and control of the district council.
A county council spokesman said of the latest parking controls: "The orders follow the successful introduction of Local Authority Parking Enforcement in Horsham district from January 23 which is having great success in reducing obstructive and inconsiderate parking.
"The aim is to make a series of tidying up orders in areas where there are already parking restrictions, rather than making new ones.
"There are a large number of parking regulations orders in the district, and the tidying up will all form part of a new map based system that is being introduced, which will make control over parking problems even more effective."
The parking places and traffic regulation order was published in the public notice section of last Friday's County Times.
The comprehensive list seeks to prohibit waiting at all times on lengths of Spencers Road, Trafalgar Road and Greenway among others in Horsham, as well as the busy Billingshurst Road and Warnham Road in Broadbridge Heath, and Byfleets Lane in Warnham.
But many fear the order is excessive and will create additional problems for neighbouring roads, as people are forced to find alternative parking arrangements.
Liz Paffett of Bracken Grove, Roffey, expressed concern over plans to prohibit waiting at all times in lengths of Crawley Road. She questioned where residents would be able to park their cars and said: "Will they be expected to dig up their front gardens for car parking?
"More cars, I have no doubt, will park in other neighbouring roads, thereby creating even more problems."
She continued: "With the new wardens, this will be a lucrative money spinner for the county council, slapping on fines to these residents, who dare to park outside their homes.
"Did those councillors who agreed to these ridiculous orders, really think of the consequences of their actions?
"Of course not, it probably will not affect them, but it will those people who live in houses which do not have a garage or car parking spaces within their house boundaries."
The order was greeted with unease by Christine Costin (L Dem), district councillor for the Trafalgar area of Horsham – a ward frequently mentioned in the proposals.
She said: "I do find the proposals to be very extensive.
"Before imposing further restrictions, there is an opportunity in Horsham to look carefully at existing parking controls, including double and single yellow lines to see if they are doing the job that they are supposed to do."
19 May 2006
PROPOSALS to introduce widespread parking controls in many of the town's most densely populated areas have sparked concern among some local residents.
The parking controls apply to Horsham town centre, Roffey, Broadbridge Heath, Southwater, Warnham and villages throughout the south of the district, and have been put forward by West Sussex County Council (WSCC) which proposes to make a permanent order under the provisions of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984.
But this week WSCC assured residents that the permanent order sought to tidy up existing traffic orders dating back to the 1950s and 1960s and was essentially a paper-exercise, with the new map based schedules making the regulations easier to understand and enforce traffic controls.
The parking order comes four months after new on-street parking regulations were introduced in the Horsham district. The introduction of Local Authority Parking Enforcement (LAPE) – a venture between WSCC and Horsham District Council – brought both on and off-street parking under the day-to-day management and control of the district council.
A county council spokesman said of the latest parking controls: "The orders follow the successful introduction of Local Authority Parking Enforcement in Horsham district from January 23 which is having great success in reducing obstructive and inconsiderate parking.
"The aim is to make a series of tidying up orders in areas where there are already parking restrictions, rather than making new ones.
"There are a large number of parking regulations orders in the district, and the tidying up will all form part of a new map based system that is being introduced, which will make control over parking problems even more effective."
The parking places and traffic regulation order was published in the public notice section of last Friday's County Times.
The comprehensive list seeks to prohibit waiting at all times on lengths of Spencers Road, Trafalgar Road and Greenway among others in Horsham, as well as the busy Billingshurst Road and Warnham Road in Broadbridge Heath, and Byfleets Lane in Warnham.
But many fear the order is excessive and will create additional problems for neighbouring roads, as people are forced to find alternative parking arrangements.
Liz Paffett of Bracken Grove, Roffey, expressed concern over plans to prohibit waiting at all times in lengths of Crawley Road. She questioned where residents would be able to park their cars and said: "Will they be expected to dig up their front gardens for car parking?
"More cars, I have no doubt, will park in other neighbouring roads, thereby creating even more problems."
She continued: "With the new wardens, this will be a lucrative money spinner for the county council, slapping on fines to these residents, who dare to park outside their homes.
"Did those councillors who agreed to these ridiculous orders, really think of the consequences of their actions?
"Of course not, it probably will not affect them, but it will those people who live in houses which do not have a garage or car parking spaces within their house boundaries."
The order was greeted with unease by Christine Costin (L Dem), district councillor for the Trafalgar area of Horsham – a ward frequently mentioned in the proposals.
She said: "I do find the proposals to be very extensive.
"Before imposing further restrictions, there is an opportunity in Horsham to look carefully at existing parking controls, including double and single yellow lines to see if they are doing the job that they are supposed to do."
19 May 2006
posted by Neil Herron at 11:23 AM
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