Residents Parking Zones – Good, or not-so-good idea?

At the last month’s Planning Committee meeting of the Town Council (27 October) Councillors agreed – unanimously – that the two proposed zones (Lower Prospect and Orchard Road) should go ahead and these proposals were then sent on for LFHIG (Local Highways and Footway Improvement Group) for them to confirm and make happen. That was at the last meeting. Planning Committee Chair, Cllr Kym-Marie Cleasby read out an e-mail from a resident in St Martins, who she did not want to identify, who was very concerned about the advent of the Lower Prospect zone as parking, in St Martins, was already a nightmare, and this could make things far worse.

Cllr Cleasby read out this resident’s concerns that already ‘sometimes we have to walk quite a distance to our homes from where we can park’. Their concern is that once the Lower Prospect zone becomes operational ‘there would be a knock-on effect’ which would lead to the shortage of spaces in and around St Martins becoming even more acute. Cllr Cleasby then noted that “it’s not always the best option, residents parking” Adding that she wanted the committee to be aware of this.

Three weeks ago Residents Parking Zones were a good idea. Maybe now not such a good idea, after all. The real problem is that parking is like ‘wave motion’. Restrict an area and the wave gets more intense elsewhere. The reality is that there are too many cars (owned and operated by residents) for the number of houses, given the amount of parking space that are there already. Create a zone – sure, solves an immediate local problem but creates difficulties for those just a bit down the road. This area around St Martins, Blowhorn St, Lower Prospect and other nearby streets are used not just by the residents of those streets, but also by residents of The Green, Herd St and other residential areas with limited or nil parking.

And, wait for it, YORK PLACE………

One of the main issues regarding this development, which was dismissed out of hand by Wiltshire Council and their Planners was parking. An estimated thirty (or more?) cars for this new development which will have only fifteen spaces. So a net real increase of probably fifteen, possibly more cars into this already congested area. And will this development allow any more spaces for on-road parking? Very unlikely, the opposite if anything.

So in this area of Marlborough there is already a real problem being experienced by residents. Could the zone agreed three weeks ago in itself exacerbate this problem, whilst making life more acceptable for those living in Lower Prospect? And York Place – the period of construction will create problems – but then a further fifteen cars, or more to be crammed into this already limited area…… Problem now? ‘You ain’t seen nothing yet’ (ref. Bachman Turner Overdrive, 1974).

Solution? Difficult. Very. Either no zones – complete free-for-all, get rid of the existing (double yellow) lines (which would create other problems). Or go the other way and create even more (and tighter, more restrictive) Residents’ Parking Zones.

No-one has yet suggested parking on The Green, which would be the ultimate possible route to follow were the current situation to get much worse, or for residents, impossible due to the York Place development. That would be very radical, controversial and to just about everybody – totally and utterly unacceptable.

Difficult, unpalatable and unacceptable decisions will have to be made. Who’s going to make those decisions…..?