As it is now 3 years since the introduction of a parking permit
scheme for Steeton and Eastburn, we are requesting that there is
now a review of the scheme to determine whether it is still
required. During this time there have been multiple resident
petitions and surveys all asking for either changes or even to
scrap it entirely. Now that charges have been introduced for the
scheme, it only seems right that the Highways Department do a
proper review and consultation of all residents to see if it is
still required. Apart from the occasional hospital visitor who is
mistaken by the poor signage of the scheme, very few people now
park on Thornhill Rd. Certainly no staff, as they have all now been
forced to buy permits to park in the hospital grounds. When this
scheme was first proposed many residents only accepted it in the
belief that it was going to be free. If the scheme was to be
advertised again now, there would most likely be many more
objections.
The main reason for introducing it was problems caused by hospital
staff, part of which was simply lack of parking around the
hospital. The hospital has now had to address this issue itself,
and so has built an upper deck on one of its car parks. The
circumstances have therefore clearly changed. The hospital is also
now launching a consultation to build a multi-storey car park which
will be the first stage before it goes ahead with any hospital
rebuild. Therefore the argument that we will suffer from displaced
parking whilst the hospital is rebuilt no longer holds water and
the railway car park is now also complete.
The problem with parking was confined to a small number of streets,
mainly Thornhill Rd, and was a relatively small number of vehicles.
Yet now more or less the whole village must suffer the
inconvenience and cost of the permit scheme, making life difficult
for both residents and their legitimate visitors. A permit scheme
has never been the right solution to this particular problem.
As we are told it costs the council money to run such schemes, it
should be in the councils own interest to revoke this scheme as it
will then be a long term cost saving. This cost saving should
negate any cost incurred in carrying out the review.
There is an obligation under government guidance to review policies
on a regular basis and amend or revoke orders that are no longer
suitable for local conditions. Also in the explanation we were
given recently by Parking Services, for the introduction of
charges, it was stated that schemes are regularly reviewed.
Therefore we would be grateful if you could urgently review this
scheme and in doing so decide that it is no longer required and
revoke the traffic order.
This ePetition runs from 24/10/2024 to 05/12/2024.
216 people have signed this ePetition.