Important update

A Council Meeting was held Today (17th November) which Philip and I were asked to attend. The meeting was attended by Council members and Officers of Wellingborough and Northamptonshire County Council.

The recommendations and information from Wellingborough Council on proposed residents parking schemes have gone to Northamptonshire County Council. Consultants from the County have gone and surveyed the area and have found a number of problems which mean that the original proposals for residents parking cannot go ahead.

One issue is the physical nature of Colwell and Chase Road. They are not wide enough for residents parking bays to be installed. Currently residents park on the paths, if residents parking bays were to be installed residents would be fined for parking on the path. If this scheme were to go ahead there would only be enough residents parking bays for one side of these streets.

Two “compromise” solutions were put forward base on the last proposed area (including Midland, Chase, Chester (one side only), Colwell, Talbot, and Senwick Roads :

1.A single yellow line to be put down on all streets that were in the last proposal. One hour restriction times to be used and to be timed differently for each side. For example one side of Colwell Road would be no parking between 11:00 and 12:00 the other side 13:00 to 14:00 hours. This would mean that residents would have to physically move their cars to the opposite side of the road if they were to avoid having a “ticket”. If you were away and have to leave your car parked in these roads it would be at risk (even if you were a resident) of having a “ticket”.

2.Preferred option. A zoned parking scheme to be introduced. Signage would be put up at the entrance to the residents parking zone (four locations). The zone would be restricted in hours, for example between 08:00 and 10:00 Monday to Saturday. Residents would need to purchase a permit (or a scratch card), per car per household with a free visitor pass. Costs would be in the region of £45 per permit. Option 2 needs to go through the Department for Transport (DfT) for consideration and costing.

Philip and I stated that option 2 would be our (CARSAGs) option. It is up to CARSAG members to think about this so we can discuss the above options at our next meeting on December 3rd.

Because Option 2 was not in the original plan it will need to go to the Development Meeting Committee only after costs were gathered. This will probably be March to April next year. Philip asked if information could be produced by Wellingborough Council on these proposals so that we (CARSAG) could disseminate the information and let residents know why there were delays. A press release will be produced.

Because Option 2 was not in the original plan it will need to go to Consultation. It was suggested that Open Days/ Question and Answer Meetings could be held in the Victoria Centre over a period of 3 days.

Philip and I also spoke to Councillor Jay Walia. He was invited to the meeting on the 3rd December. I believe he said that he would be able to attend.

Kevin Jones
CARSAG