Pavement parking in Newbury

[BrianB]

Hot topic on the news today is a private members bill for a blanket ban on pavement parking. If properly enforced, this will cause major problems for residential parking on many of Newbury's streets. Kingsbridge Road and Salcombe Road spring immediately to mind.

Where will all of these people be expected to park? Perhaps we will see wider introduction of the parking spaces carved into the pavement, as in Newtown Road.

The Green Meanies will have to be doubled in strength to cope with this new law if it succeeds.

[Don]

On the other side of that; it can be very annoying for pedestrians or if you live in an area where people park on the pavement and you don't want them to.

[Number 6]

In the depths of my rapidly fading memory I seem to remember a study illustrated that if you took away on street parking the number of cars would have to fall dramatically as there would be nowhere to keep them when not in use. All kinds of unseen and unwanted consequences could also ensue such as people parking in the nearest roads to them that are wide enough to not require pavement parking thus clogging them up, higher road tax costs as the number of cars fall , road rage parking riots - the list of unintended consequences could be endless. The fact is it has taken us decades to get to where we are and we look for quick fix solutions at our peril. With government  needing to cut £100 billion to balance the books they will look for any excuse to tax us more instead. Be careful what you wish for. ;)

[Old Goat]

I'm sure most people aren't too upset about others parking on the pavement but as usual it's the idiots that make things difficult.  For instance, fairly near me, someone parks on the pavement in front of his home, but because his bramble hedge overhangs, no one can easily walk past.  What do Newbury's finest do? 'Oooh we can't do nothing it's not illegal!' Mind, there is do much wheeled traffic on the pavement these days, what with bikes, oversized baby buggies, OAP buggies and the like that it's safer to walk on the road anyway.   Again, the idiot factor cuts in.  Perhaps instead of prohibiting pavement parking, we need to,prohibit idiots.

[Don]

I'm sure most people aren't too upset about others parking on the pavement but as usual it's the idiots that make things difficult.  For instance, fairly near me, someone parks on the pavement in front of his home, but because his bramble hedge overhangs, no one can easily walk past.  What do Newbury's finest do? 'Oooh we can't do nothing it's not illegal!' Mind, there is do much wheeled traffic on the pavement these days, what with bikes, oversized baby buggies, OAP buggies and the like that it's safer to walk on the road anyway.   Again, the idiot factor cuts in.  Perhaps instead of prohibiting pavement parking, we need to,prohibit idiots.

Actually it is illegal if it is obstructing the pavement and people can't get through. That is what a police officer told me.

[Old Goat]

Apparently all they are willing to 'nick you' for is driving on the pavement - for which they apparently want to see you do it!  I suspect some of this is really down to them not wanting to do anything which means getting out of a car without a radar gun. 

[Number 6]

Lack of consideration for the needs of others (pedestrians in this case) seems to be endemic,although in my experience most people try not to block pavements and only an inconsiderate few cause problems. A certain brand new eatery - mentioning no names - in Newbury seems to have been allowed to block off a very large slice of pavement with some huge plant configurations so that pedestrians are forced to veer into the path of traffic. This is the second time a land grab has happened in Northbrook Street without any reference to the risks and inconvenience to pedestrians. The fact that traffic coming over the bridge will only see the hazard at the last minute makes it doubly risky. What is our council thinking in allowing this ? Shameful.  :o

[Old Goat]

Quite!  And the Council claim they are trying to get us to walk about and use bikes more!

[only me]

I think you'll find that the fast food cafe/shop on Bridge Street put out planters, tables and chairs without approval from WBC.  The council officers went round to get them to remove them (which they did with the tables and chairs) but because the planters were so big and heavy the shop workers struggled to get them shifted.

As for blocking the pavement, the Disability Discrimination Act should ensure the police would take action against offenders where wheelchair users can't get past but in truth it's very hit and miss whether police officers will enforce (it's more 'miss' than 'hit').  But it's only the police that can do something about it as it stands.  Bringing in a blanket ban will cause as many problems as it resolves.  Reading BC do have a blanket ban on a number of their roads, which prevents damage to grass verges and prevents footpaths getting blocked, but the roads where this restriction is in place are wide enough to allow on-street parking to take place instead. I don't think they have gone down the route of introducing this ban in their narrower residential streets.

Was this another daft scheme dreamt up and supported by that idiot Pickles?

[Old Goat]

OK then, can't we have a few prosecutions for breaching the Disability Act?  Equally, why aren't WBCs wardens issuing notices against vehicles they see so parked for damaging the footpath / verge?  Both would make a few bob for the public purse if they did a few.  Equally, presumably if a wheelchair or the like accidentally damages a car parked on the pavement, the cars insurers need not pay out?

[Don]

I think you'll find that the fast food cafe/shop on Bridge Street put out planters, tables and chairs without approval from WBC.  The council officers went round to get them to remove them (which they did with the tables and chairs) but because the planters were so big and heavy the shop workers struggled to get them shifted.

As for blocking the pavement, the Disability Discrimination Act should ensure the police would take action against offenders where wheelchair users can't get past but in truth it's very hit and miss whether police officers will enforce (it's more 'miss' than 'hit').  But it's only the police that can do something about it as it stands.  Bringing in a blanket ban will cause as many problems as it resolves.  Reading BC do have a blanket ban on a number of their roads, which prevents damage to grass verges and prevents footpaths getting blocked, but the roads where this restriction is in place are wide enough to allow on-street parking to take place instead. I don't think they have gone down the route of introducing this ban in their narrower residential streets.

Was this another daft scheme dreamt up and supported by that idiot Pickles?

They are only breaching the Disability act if a disabled person can't get through, not because they are parked on the path.

As for "damaging"; only if the path is damaged, then they would have to prove which car damaged it.

[Old Goat]

Could the Council get hold of a few willing wheelchair users, after all they are quite willing to use fifteen and a half year old girls to trap harassed shop assistants into selling them fags!

[Don]

Could the Council get hold of a few willing wheelchair users, after all they are quite willing to use fifteen and a half year old girls to trap harassed shop assistants into selling them fags!

Wouldn't that be going into Rotherham territory?