Public to be consulted on solutions to solve Wilmslow's parking problems

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Local residents and those those who work in the town will have the chance to have their say on parking problems in Wilmslow and proposals being put forward by Cheshire East Council to help resolve them.

Representatives from Cheshire East Council met with town councillors ahead of their public meeting on Monday, 21st January, to provide a progress update for developing a parking strategy for Wilmslow.

The Council has recently completed a review of the public parking provision in the town aimed at providing a coherent whole-town approach to parking management that meets the needs of residents, businesses and visitors and delivering a set of interventions that can be introduced to address proven local parking problems.

The recent survey involved completing a set of scoping surveys to assess the extent and scale of parking problems, parking surveys which were carried out on Tuesday 18th and Saturday 22nd September 2018 between 7am and 7pm, as well as beat surveys and parking questionnaires.

The Council also reviewed their complaint log in regards to parking within Wilmslow which showed that 150 complaints were made between 2015 and 2018, with most complaints being made about Alderley Road and Buckingham Road.

The survey also revealed that over the last three years, two streets - Hawthorn Lane and Water Lane - had over 400 PCNs issued and that there is a high usage of both short and long stay parking with permits accounting for 18% of long stay car parking spaces, ranging from 8% at Broadway Meadow to 31% at Spring Street.

The Council has now completed a review of possible interventions and an initial list of possible measures has been prepared, many of which it says are potentially capable of implementation in the short term and will be sufficient to mitigate the pressures in the short to medium term.

However, as the town sees further growth the Council acknowledges there is a need to define opportunities for increased parking provision, either at private sector car parks or additions to the existing Cheshire East Council's public parking stock.

These possible measures will form the basis of a 4 week public consultation which is scheduled to commence on 30th January. This will include a public exhibition which will be staffed by representations from Cheshire East Council at Wilmslow Parish Hall on Wednesday, 30th January.

Further information about the consultation and proposed measures will be published on wilmslow.co.uk shortly.

Tags:
Car Parking Review, Parking, Parking
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Comments

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

Julian Barlow
Thursday 24th January 2019 at 1:48 pm
Cheshire East would hold a public consultation on whether or not the door is the best way to leave a room.

These endless rounds of meetings and public consultations (the results of which they ignore) serve only to distract us from the fact that they're incapable of making decisions and taking effective action about anything. Roll on May*.

*That's a reference to the local elections and nothing to do with the PM and ground levelling machinery.
Nick Jones
Thursday 24th January 2019 at 4:16 pm
@ Julian.... Concur fully with you .... in CEC Speak
Clarity = Obfuscation
Saving = Overspend
Consultation = Charade as their decision is already made.
When you additionally consider the excessive revenue CEC already collect from parking in Wilmslow and their published intent to raise parking charges.. it appears a pointless exercise... (evidenced by all previous CEC consultations Local Plan etc )

Cllr Fox has identified the meaningless extent of the parking survey on previous thread-https://bit.ly/2S8BT5i

I predict at some stage in the distant future ... Lyme Green or Yellow Lines on Alderley Road and imposed punitive parking costs to force workers / commuters / shoppers / residents / businesses out of our fine town.
Please prove me wrong !
Terry Roeves
Thursday 24th January 2019 at 4:48 pm
Twice spotted a traffic warden on a Sunday morning, recently, by Hoopers.
Must be some serious parking problems along there. Just curious why Sundays with so little enforcement Mon-Fri. Am I missing something?
Hopefully the consultation will clarify.
Pete Taylor
Thursday 24th January 2019 at 7:50 pm
@Terry; I think their office is in the disused Public Convenience building in the "Sainsburys" car park.
David Smith
Friday 25th January 2019 at 9:31 am
I have said it again and will say it again now. Just because there is a perceived lack of car parking in Wilmslow doesn't mean that anyone can park wherever they like and inconvenience those who live in the town or who are trying to drive through it. These are separate issues. If you cannot park sensibly and with regard to other road users and residents then come to Wilmslow by some other means or stay away until extra car parking has been provided. Parking partly on a pavement should be made a local offence - if not a nationally and attract a fixed fine and penalty points on the licence of the vehicle owner regardless of the driver who left it there. Parking on a grass verge or in a cycle lane should mean removal of the vehicle and penalty points plus a large fee to have the car back. If we ever reach the situation where there is plenty of parking for workers and visitors, what will be the means to make motorists use it and thereby eradicate the status quo that is generating so much frustration with our local councillors and antagonising the town's residents. It will still be the case that if you can find somewhere to park for free why should you pay for parking in a brand new car park provided at great expense by the ratepayers?
Mike Davies
Friday 25th January 2019 at 1:52 pm
@Julian @Nick @David have to agree with you all completely. In particularly the definition of Consultation.

Parking is an issue as you come out of the centre too, with Buckingham Road being turned into a single lane with cars double parked along most of its length. Top Gear should made aware, it could be used as one of their challenges to get from one end to the other in a reasonable time.

Have to say I'm a bit confused with the article stating "as the town sees further growth", looks more like it's heading the same way as it was back in 2008 when many of the shops were festooned with 'To Let' boards.

On an aside, I just signed the petition at changecheshireeast.co.uk in the hope that it makes a positive difference.
Saturday 26th January 2019 at 11:59 am
David, agree with your points, particularly the come to Wilmslow by other means. I think a precident has been set now and we’ll have permanent on street parking regardless of whether new car parks are built or not. Yellow lines in the centre will just push drivers further into residential areas.
I’m not signing the Cheshire Brexit petition. It’s about as well thought out as the national referendum was.
Jon Newell
Wednesday 30th January 2019 at 9:23 am
Does anyone know if, having seen the morning weather, the meeting scheduled for Wilmslow on 30 January is going ahead?