Politicians Paint A Picture to Public of Plenty of Pavement Parking Problems at Policy and Performance Committee

Politicians Paint A Picture to Public of Plenty of Pavement Parking Problems at Policy and Performance Committee

Politicians Paint A Picture to Public of Plenty of Pavement Parking Problems at Policy and Performance Committee

                       

Cllr David Elderton shows photos of pavement parking problems to the politicians on Wirral Council's Regeneration and Environment Policy and Performance Committee
Cllr David Elderton shows photos of pavement parking problems to the politicians on Wirral Council’s Regeneration and Environment Policy and Performance Committee

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Video of the item on parking on pavements and grass verges starts at 5:00

Councillors on Wirral Council’s Regeneration and Environment Policy and Performance Committee received an update on parking on pavements and grass verges.

Some councillors were most put out at what they saw as a lack of enforcement action on pavement parkers in the patch they represent. Officers of Wirral Council said that apart from places where there was a traffic regulation order, single yellow or double yellow line that enforcement of pavement parking was down to the police.

However the police saw matters such as pavement parking as a low priority. Wirral Council had piloted nine areas where traffic regulation orders restricted pavement parking. Since the summer, they had also placed over a hundred warning notices on cars parked on the pavement.

Damage to grass verges, pavements, underground services and the Council’s insurance costs for highway related tripping accidents were also discussed. Councillors eventually decided (as there was nothing in the budget for this item) to refer the matter to the next meeting of Constituency Committees to deal with as they see fit.

Cllr Jerry Williams said, “In Bebington this is one of the major issues. We get more complaints about verges and parking issues than anything else at all and it’s because you know people are parking on verges, pavements not where we’ve got difficult circumstances of 1920s houses, it’s where you’ve got a road where it’s five car widths wide and they’re parking their cars on the pavements and verges and a good example in Bebington is Teehey Lane shops, just had a few thousand pounds spent on it in relation to broken pavings. Again the issues of people with disabilities tripping and other people. The next thing you know the milk lorries are driving on at seven o’clock in the morning when I’m running down the road, driving on the pavements damaging the pavements again.”

“Let’s also have a go at these utility companies. We all know who are the worst offenders. Who do I think is the worst offender? Without any question of a doubt BT Openreach. They are the worst, every time the Council officers go onto them to ask for some sort of regulation, they certainly say we’ve discussed it with the operatives, things are going to be done. The next thing you know, we’ve asked the officers you see them parking on the pavement!”

Cllr David Elderton said, “I’d put this on the screen but frankly I can’t put a USB on at the moment. That photograph of … situation where he showed the problem of putting stickers on people’s cars causing a major obstruction. That did help and the press release that came out on the 18th July last year did also enhance things for a while and as you will know I kept this next to my heart in my wallet even the ticket that you’re supposed to put under the windscreen of a car.

So that wasn’t a good idea. In my opinion we’ve lost the way, we’ve lost the emphasis on it completely. It’s no longer being managed and controlled in the way that I believe it should be.”

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Author: John Brace

New media journalist from Birkenhead, England who writes about Wirral Council. Published and promoted by John Brace, 134 Boundary Road, Bidston, CH43 7PH. Printed by UK Webhosting Ltd t/a Tsohost, 113-114 Buckingham Avenue, Slough, Berkshire, England, SL1 4PF.

4 thoughts on “Politicians Paint A Picture to Public of Plenty of Pavement Parking Problems at Policy and Performance Committee”

  1. Some of the walkways are wide enough to provide a layby type of parking area. Car owners want to prevent damage to their vehicles by inconsiderate drivers especially heavy trucks using unsuitable routes and careless driving. Then there is the ‘bounty hunter’style parking attendants.

    1. Yes, you’re right there is a lot of variation of width of walkways across the borough. In some areas off street parking (on narrow streets that were never designed with cars in mind) is now provided on what used to be pavement which leads to a chicane effect that can slow down traffic.

      In other areas the pavements are so wide that shops have permission for A-boards and shop displays (for example a fruit and veg display) as well as pavement cafes.

      The traffic wardens tend to stick to specific areas and there are areas such as residential areas that drivers know they can get away with inconsiderate parking in as it would be very unlikely that they would get a ticket.

  2. It would be useful if councillor Williams did something to address the problems of residents in Village Road Higher Bebington trying to park. We have to suffer double yellow lines and the few spaces are grabbed by people going to the two pubs, people visiting the school and people walking their dogs in the woods. we have asked and asked and asked and asked, but noting gets done. in other parts of Wirral councillors have acted speedily to help local people. not here. No never.

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