Plans to ban commuter parking on four more roads

Cheshire East Council is proposing to ban parking on a further four residential streets at particular times of the day, to stop commuter parking.

The Council is proposing to make an Order that will prohibit vehicles from waiting or parking on sections of Thorngrove Lane, Thorngrove Hill, Thorngrove Drive and Land Lane.

Parking will be banned on sections of the roads, on both sides, between the hours of 9.30am to 10.30am and 2pm to 3pm Monday to Friday (see map above).

Additionally, vehicles will be banned from waiting or parking on Land Lane from a point 50 metres south of its junction with Thorngrove Road for a distance of 52 metres, at all times.

This follows proposed Orders to prohibit parking on a section of Daveylands and the entire length of both Vardon Drive and Dane Drive between the hours of 8.30am and 10.30am and 2pm and 3pm from Monday to Friday.

A spokesperson for Cheshire East Council said "The proposal has been identified as a ward priority and relates to existing problems caused by commuter parking in the Thorngrove area of Wilmslow which is on the edge the town restricted parking zone.

"It is anticipated that the introduction of another restriction of waiting Order on nearby Daveylands will result in the transfer of over thirty vehicles to the Thorngrove area. If this was permitted, the existing parking problems caused by vehicles parking haphazardly on the footpath and difficulties caused by vehicles obstructing private driveways would increase resulting in issues for emergency service vehicles

"It is therefore deemed necessary in the interests of highway safety to introduce a prohibition of waiting and a restriction of waiting Order to alleviate these problems and keep the area clear of parked vehicles."

A copy of the draft Order, map showing the restricted areas, a statement of the reasons for making the Order and a copy of the public notice can be examined during usual office hours at Wilmslow Library.

If you wish to object to the proposed Order, or any provisions contained within it, or make any other representations, you may do so in writing to Mr R Welch, Cheshire East Highways, 6th Floor, c/o Municipal Buildings, Earle Street, Crewe, CW1 2BJ by 27th November.

Tags:
Cheshire East Council, Lane Lane, Parking, Parking , Thorngrove Drive, Thorngrove Hill, Thorngrove Lane
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Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

Nick Jones
Thursday 6th November 2014 at 2:03 pm
The parking restrictions imposed upon Thorngrove Rd to deter commuters currently are nothing short of a complete utter mess. Designated parking area's now ensure that oncoming vehicle meet on the apex of a blind bend and this has been the scene of many near-missed accidents.

The first time someone is seriously injured I'm sure the litigation will test this bad design to the full. Vehicles that appear road legal, do park on the highway whilst their occupants use the train station. It is inconvenient,... and the current restrictions are a disproportionate response.... Other than tradesmen the only other victims of revenue generation / enforcement have been residents.

Rod Menlove resident of Thorngrove Drive has been on a ‘door to door’ campaign for mmany weeks seeking to impose his personal opinion and will here ..., I could quote some of his comments and mixed messages, but Rod... Listen.. It is not needed....This Concillor seeking to join WTC is actively seeking to daub further yellow lines glibly where tarmac alone now shines in the remainder of the Thorngrove area. It is his personal vision to tackle a minimal problem where he lives.

I'm not sure how much financial revenue these parking restrictions have now raised, from enforcement as there is clearly little or no other justification for them being there in the first instance. Offset this against the cost of putting them there in the first place, and then a further unwanted meaningless luxury in Thorngrove, in painting the kerbs with a thin useless layer of tarmac, and in total this has been a complete re hash of Menloves notorious Lyme Green fiasco........ A demonstrable waste of Tax payer’s cash... but satiating personal folly.

Drive down Thorngrove at various times of the day......see what a mess it actually now is... The last thing required is more restrictions / yellow lines .... Historically there was occasional poor parking on both sides of the road,.... but what we have now is not a solution, it is a problem.

Where do Residents own visitors park ?... Rectory Fields ? Sainsburys ? How much this will de-value the price of your property at point of sale ? Wiill there be a rate reduction and compensation ?

The minor inconvenience is tolerable.

If your drive is blocked call the police ....who can report / prosecute the obstruction.

Is total Yellow Line fever the solution ? Definitely not.

I hope David Jefferay can bring some non partisan common sense to this issue as it appears councillor's are now wasting RoW time and money working on issues far away from the more important pressing issues they should be addressing.

Re; Previous threads on this site with Menlove seeking to become a WTC representative... Just review his track record... and then wonder why other roads are not afforded the personal touch demonstrated here.

Proportionality, Necessity Cost and safety must come first surely.
Pete Taylor
Thursday 6th November 2014 at 2:50 pm
Mr Jones,
Don't hold your breath waiting for a response from Cllr Menlove on this forum- to date he has answered not one single point made to him on any subject; I begin to doubt if he even knows this website exists.
Where does he imagine that all those cars are going to park? Perhaps he could take a leaf out of Frank Keegan's (another CEC Cllr who suffers from selective deafness) book and tarmac over all the allotments?

Perhaps if Cllr Menlove has some yellow paint to spare he could arrange for the double yellow lines to be replaced on Knutsford Rd at the junctions with Donkey Lane and Fulshaw Park. After a series of accidents and near misses Alderman Alan Barnes and his wife Alderman Joan Barnes managed to get yellow lines painted but after the recent re-surfacing work what was 50 metres has turned to less than ten; twice I have reported this to CEC but no answer yet.
Bill Deverell
Thursday 6th November 2014 at 3:50 pm
Like Nick I object to the proposals.

There is no indication that the officers have done anything to determine where the parkers work - do they all catch trains, do they work in Wilmslow or elsewhere. Then the officers should look at alternative parking provision not just use yellow lines to push cars around the town.

The bend in Thorngrove Road IS dangerous because of the current yellow lines and bays forcing cars to the wrong side of the road.

The current proposals are unnecessary and overkill and probably unenforceable without employing more Enforcement Officers or reducing cover in the town centre.

Why not place Access Only (or Delivery Only) restrictions on all residential roads similar to those on Fulshaw Park and Wilmslow Park and at the same time implement 20 MPH restrictions instead of speed bumps. There is no indication that the officers have done any work in this area. BUT to do this we need adequate parking provision first.
Charbel Faddoul
Thursday 6th November 2014 at 3:59 pm
Parking restrictions Thorngrove Drive

I have emailed Mr. Thomason to no avail, I have yet to receive a reply addressing my concerns regarding the parking restrictions that are being proposed.
For the houses like mine who have small driveways, having a yellow line restricting parking in front of the house is, to say the least, very inconvenient. With all the parking restrictions enforced or planned to be enforced in our neighbourhood, if we receive a family member to stay with us, the nearest place they can park is in one of the car parks around the central of Wilmslow. The same will apply for our cleaner and gardener etc... As you will appreciate this is going to be impractical. Not to mention the eyesore that will ensue from having yellow lines painted all over the roads.
Our neighbours have made very good alternative suggestions to yellow lines, for example proposing we have white H boxes in front of our houses or implement a residents parking scheme. Mr Thomason has thus far not replied to any of our proposals, it seems that the council can offer a no more imaginative solution that covering our road in yellow paint.
Nick Jones
Thursday 6th November 2014 at 4:15 pm
Pete, I can only suggest that further to your directorship enquiries revealed re the council leader... that other than councillors having business interests declared .. or not..... as the case may be ......That perhaps these officials also hold directorships in 'yellow paint'supply companies ??
Our infamous councillors should be treasured for their clumsy conduct just like Peter Cook and Dudley Moore...... ( you decide ! ) An interesting observation about no response on this site as there appears to be plenty to say when he is going door to door..... Silence at the wrong time maybe...... back to lyme green issue again....
DELETED ACCOUNT
Thursday 6th November 2014 at 9:25 pm
Surely it would be better to address the real issue - inadequate parking provision at the station. The short stay parking at the front has gone, - to be replaced by very expensive day parking and double ranks of taxis. It is increasingley difficult to get to park in the leisure centre carpark, to use the leisure centre, because cars are using it and then people walk across to the station. Cheshire East promotes the use of public transport, and then does not provide adequately for people to use it.
David Jefferay
Thursday 6th November 2014 at 10:09 pm
As an engineer, when I’m trying to solve a problem, I go through a tried and tested process called “optioneering”:

1) I identify the problem.
2) I identify the stakeholders and find out their requirements.
3) I come up with a range of options which satisfy their requirements.
4) I consult the stakeholders to find out which one best meets everyone’s requirements.
5) I develop the preferred option to the final design.
6) I implement it.

It is rare that the final design meets all of everyone’s requirements but everyone is involved and it is generally a good compromise. It would appear that in this case, the process is more along the lines of deciding what solution I want and then persuading the stakeholders that it is the best option (without even thinking about other options).

I’m bemused at why an elected official would go against what the residents/electors want and push forward with a non-preferred option. When those residents/electors happen to be your friends and neighbours, it just becomes nonsensical.

Jackie is clearly right that the problem is not that people are parking there, but that they have to park there due to insufficient parking in the town centre (or perhaps even a further step back…that they have to drive to the station). However, the residents should not have a heavy handed permanent solution thrust upon them whilst the root problem is solved in the medium term (it will have to be solved at some point!). I would have thought a residents only parking permit would have been a more cost effective solution. Putting some signs on lamp-posts and the issue of permits on proof of residence has to be cheaper than applying, and routine maintenance, of road markings. The cost of enforcement is the same.

As an aside, I note that the East Cheshire spokesperson quoted in this article appears to suffer from the same lack of imagination as whoever decided on the solution for the parking problem…they’ve used almost identical wording as they did when they announced the almost identical solution Daveylands!
http://bit.ly/1z3Fte2
Roger Bagguley
Thursday 6th November 2014 at 10:10 pm
One sign at the entrance to Thorngrove Road off Macclesfield Road and job done. Value for money and some ownership for residents in keeping their parking needs under control. The residents of Thorngrove can do something about their ongoing problems, as can all residents of Wilmslow East Ward, by voting for DAVID JEFFERAY and Residents of Wilmslow - next Thursday, 13th November. Time for change - fresh ideas - better communication - as they say "New broom sweeps clean."
Pete Taylor
Thursday 6th November 2014 at 10:31 pm
http://bit.ly/1z51GZi

I'm sure that Cllr Menlove will be along here any moment to "declare an interest"... after all he lives there.

In his absence, perhaps one of the Barton family could chime in on his behalf; as they have recently? http://bit.ly/1tjUnaK
Liz Cullen
Friday 7th November 2014 at 12:27 pm
I object to the scheme. It does not propose to solve the problem of parking at the railway station. It introduces secondary problems for the residents in Thorngrove. In the meantime only as a temporary solution provide Residents Parking Permits.
Mark Goldsmith
Friday 7th November 2014 at 1:24 pm
No idea how this will solve the problem other than push the cars onto other roads.

Call me naive but I thought the roads were made for cars to drive and park on. And buying a car licence meant you could park on the road.

Didn't know it meant you can't park on the bits of road that Wilmslow residents think of as an extension to their own house though. With so many pot holes on our roads, you would think the council would focus our money on filling them in and not on car hating policies like this.

Still, I stand corrected and now see that evil "commuters" must be stopped at all costs. Otherwise heaven forbid, we might get people who work for a living coming here to spoil our neighborhood.
Roger Bagguley
Friday 7th November 2014 at 9:55 pm
Checked out the map at the library as promised. No parking for 1 hour, morning and afternoon, is so annoying in practice. I lived with this system in Wimbledon. During each period residents, friends and work people are on pins, watching out for the wardens and moving vehicles around. Signage, "Access only" or "Residents parking" would appear to be the cheapest and most acceptable solution.
Graham Jackson
Saturday 8th November 2014 at 11:19 am
@Mark

Fair point - I have noticed that Buckingham Road is now getting lined with traffic, particularly at the top of the road near the junction with Altrincham Road. Its reduced Buckingham Road to a single line of traffic most days at this point. I have also noticed an increase in parking on Chapel Lane past the Carters Arms, again all day parking.
Bill Deverell
Saturday 8th November 2014 at 4:48 pm
Where is Thorngrove Lane?
Not sure the official notice is legal with a mistake like that!
Nick Jones
Sunday 9th November 2014 at 3:36 pm
As so many contributors on this thread..... and recent others..... have demonstrated regarding parking @; Daveylands , Wilmslow Town centre (including surrounding roads), alongside 'sister site' alderleyedge.com .... (where The same thematic issues re appear except they want to tarmac the allotments there !! ) ..... quite clearly 'displacement' of parking; 1. Is not a solution
2. It never was a solution
3. It merely demonstrates CEC causing a further problem in not addressing the
fundamental base issues as it continues to drive vehicles and their
occupants... residents , visitors, shoppers etc .. out of our town.

So CEC........ a foot on the ball approach required please... ....... No more restrictions and 1/2 baked implementation of restrictions of any type anywhere for now ..... assess the problem in its entirety and bring some meaningful justified and proportionate solutions to the table that can be subject to appropriate consultation by those it affects.

In the meantime RoW make sure you register your objections !
Charbel Faddoul
Monday 10th November 2014 at 2:08 am
Clearly there is quite a few people who are objecting to the idea of yellow lines with restrictions as a solution.
I would urge everybody who is against the proposed yellow lines to send a letter of objection to the council before 27th November 2014. In making an objection you must specify the grounds on which it is made. Preferably by recorded delivery. The address to send the letter to is;

Mr. R. Welch
Cheshire East Highways
6th Floor c/o Municipal Buildings
Earle Street
Crewe
CW1 2BJ

I believe if we act together we can force the council to offer us a more imaginative solution that works for everybody, for example residents permits or creating a no access zone.
Bill Deverell
Monday 10th November 2014 at 7:06 pm
We need more parking spaces. I know it is in the Green Belt but how about a "Park and Walk" scheme using the old sports field on the Prestbury link road between the bypass and the allotments (not the field between the bypass and the railway).

I think it is now mainly used by dog walkers, scramble bikes and model plane enthusiasts.

There is public footpath access to town and station through High School or Land Lane.
Perhaps we could also use it for High School drop off and eliminate the dangerous queuing on the bypass.

Keep the cost low and parkers might actually use it.
Gary Barton
Tuesday 11th November 2014 at 2:20 pm
Being neither a resident of nor a ward Councillor for Wilmslow East it is difficult for me to comment on the logistical specifics of the proposed restrictions on Thorngrove. However, people who live on Daveylands who have spoken to me about the problem are at their wit's end. Having seen the problem for myself I can understand why.

@Graham Jackson: The process is in place to put yellow lines at the top of Buckingham Road to improve access to the road from Altrincham Road.

@Mark Goldsmith: You are absolutely right that commuters are not evil, they are just people trying to get to their jobs. Part of the problem of Wilmslow's success is an increase in traffic and parking. This is why the approach cannot solely be about yellow lines. Suggestions such as @Bill Deverell's re a park and ride/walk scheme need to be considered. Similarly, Cheshire East needs to increase off street parking spaces and reduce the charges for all-day parking. The emptiness of the Spring Street car park underlines the problem. The cheaper Broadway Meadow car park, by contrast, is regularly full. However, I do not believe that it is unreasonable to expect commuters to contribute to the cost of providing parking places. After all, a high percentage of them will not pay Council Tax in Cheshire East. Similarly, I do not want the streets of Wilmslow to be a free-for-all car park. It should also be noted are increasingly those who want to travel via Wilmslow Station or Manchester Airport and do not want to pay for long term parking.

There are many other areas in Wilmslow that are suffering from parking problems that materially effect residents' day-to-day lives. This is expecially true on narrow streets such as Bourne Street, Westward Road, South Close, Lindfield Estate North, Alma Lane, Beech Lane and many others. The use of parking restrictions to help residents on these roads is something that I support.
Graham Jackson
Wednesday 12th November 2014 at 7:13 am
Can't the carpark on Broadway Meadow be developed into multi-storey carpark? I don't think any residents would be affected (standby to be corrected!), the footprint is large enough.
Pete Taylor
Wednesday 12th November 2014 at 8:59 am
No answer from Cllr Menlove but, as I predicted, Cllr Barton responds; interestingly he finds difficult to comment on the issue of a fellow Cllr arranging for yellow lines to be painted outside his own house as he is "neither a resident of nor a ward Councillor for Wilmslow East" yet he can comment on Daveylands, which is in the same ward as Cllr Menlove's house.
Kathy Holman
Wednesday 12th November 2014 at 3:59 pm
Not all the commentators live on the Thorngrove estate. There is a problem with commuter parking and most of the residents, although not all of them, support the proposed restrictions.
Simon Worthington
Wednesday 12th November 2014 at 4:07 pm
Most of these commuters whether working locally or taking the train do not want to pay for parking. Perhaps our favorite local "developer" who choses to rent out his parking spaces and the council who have allowed over deveopment should take the blame. A good start would be to ticket all illegally parked vehicles - top of Borne Street would be a good start but there seems to be a problem of responsibilty over this type of ticketing with no one taking charge.
Robert Stewart
Thursday 13th November 2014 at 7:21 pm
The accusations that residents have been influenced by Rod Menlove are ludicrous and simply mischievous. There is a major parking problem in this area which at times restricts access for service vehicles like the weekly refuse collection. It beggars belief that some people park on bends and at times on both sides of the road. What is the local authority to do? The greater majority of residents (and Council Tax payers) support the proposed restrictions.
Sam Lawrie
Thursday 13th November 2014 at 8:32 pm
Indeed it is interesting to see so many comments from non residents. So here is one from an actual resident of the discussed area. Let's not be fooled into being made part of your political arena for gaining votes, quite frankly its unbearable. I am in FULL favour of restrictions (as are most) under nobody else's influence. I have witnessed for myself, (because I actually live here), the inconsiderate parking on pavements, on bends, on both sides of the road where at times, I can barely get my car through the gap. Above all, the parking is dangerous and having to endure this both aesthetically and in practice, I too am at my wits end. I work all over the country and guess what I pay for parking!
Charbel Faddoul
Friday 14th November 2014 at 3:17 am
I agree with my neighbours, Robert Stewart and Sam Lawrie (who both commented above), there is a major problem on Thorngrove Drive. As Robert Stewart declared a few months ago our road has become a car park and the all day parkers have become very inconsiderate, as Sam Lawrie mentioned above. This parking problem has been in existence on our road for some time now and the council has been consulting us on and off for at least three years. During this period Robert Stewart, Mark Lawrie, myself and a few others have proposed alternative schemes to the council besides yellow lines all over the road, schemes such as residence parking permits, using white H boxes or having a no access zone. However the council seem to ignore any of our proposals and every time they have consulted us they proposed the same all around yellow line restrictions. I did not even receive an explanation for why the proposals I made were rejected. After 3 years + living with inconsiderate all day parkers on a very congested road, getting more congested every day, residents on Thorngrove road are, as Sam Lawrie said, at their wits end and in need of a quick resolution. The only solution the council has offered us is all around yellow line restrictions. To many the proposals of yellow line restrictions is the lesser evil, obviously the residents would have preferred a solution that would deter all day parking without the restrictions of having yellow lines, however such a solution is seemingly not on offer. I had proposed a few days ago that we all team up together and force the council to come up with a better solution, but the neighbours I spoke with did not warm to this idea because they are afraid it will have no impact on the council and they are worried that if they miss this current consultation they will not get another opportunity for some time to come.
Nick Jones
Wednesday 26th November 2014 at 12:37 pm
And.......... Before wasting any more of our Tax payers cash on this unnecessary disproportionate folly....., I suggest the cash better spent repairing the road surface whilst a sensible 'non displacement' parking strtategy is discussed.
Pete Taylor
Wednesday 26th November 2014 at 1:56 pm
Holly Road South had a problem with all-day parkers; now there are boxes with maximum 2 hours parking. The only time anyone seems to park there is at school pick-up time.
So...