Lib Dems confirm loony parking policy

Today's Cambridge News carries confirmation from the Liberal Democrats running Cambridge City Council that they remain intent upon exacerbating Cambridge's parking chaos with every new development that is permitted.

Referring to not changing the current hierarchy of road users (pedestrians > cyclists > public transport > private motorists) Cllr Clare Blair said,

I think that makes sense in Cambridge because it is a historic city which is very constrained, but we do recognise that people need to use their cars.

What we need to do is provide for people to be able to use their cars where necessary, but to use alternative modes of transport wherever possible. I see this as an opportunity to look carefully at what we are doing and see whether it suits the needs of our residents.

But this is a classic straw man. No-one ever suggested changing the relative priority of road users - the most vulnerable types must come first and be promoted.

Frankly I can see no evidence that the Lib Dems do "recognise that people need to use their cars", despite driving them themselves; they seem to have an ideological obsession that leads them to make perverse decisions like that on limiting parking for new developments when they should instead be requiring it to safeguard our future infrastructure.

She has also missed the point by focusing on the use of cars rather than the possession of cars - it is good for car usage to go down but that doesn't mean that car possession rates should go down, and if it is at the expense of those of more limited means then it probably would be a bad thing, too. When people do have them they will park them, whatever it takes - it's a shame the Lib Dems are unable to grasp this simple fact of life.

Relieving parking pressure

Welcome news for Cambridge today:

Limits on car spaces for new homes and guidance encouraging higher parking charges are being abolished ending the war on motorists, Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles and Transport Secretary Philip Hammond announced today.

The former Labour government's policy of maximum parking spaces for new developments (1.5 per dwelling), gold-plated (page 134 - 1 per dwelling) by the ideologically-obsessed local Liberal Democrats, have been creating huge structural problems for Cambridge.

Coleridge residents have been hit badly by the impact of inadequate parking on new developments, such as those off Rustat Road, compounding commuter parking problems and soon to be made much worse by the cb1 development.

Time after time, when developments should have been rejected due to lack of parking such as cb1 as well as all over the city and most recently the former Texaco petrol station on Castle Hill, councillors have been unable reject on that basis, even if they would like to.

The Liberal Democrats are taking a very short term view on this subject: limiting parking does not stop people from owning cars it just causes parking chaos, while future technological developments may lead to more sustainable personal transport solutions. They would be doing more good for the city if they focused their efforts on enforcing minimum cycle parking standards, which are often ignored.

Parking problems are one of the biggest issues in this city but the Lib Dems have done nothing but make it worse. Conservatives won't stand by on this issue and will be standing at the local elections on a policy of scrapping this bonkers rule from our local plan.

Chalmers verge plans emerge

Good news on verges for residents of Chalmers Road and safer parking for everyone off Birdwood Road!

Following a recent verge 'walkabout' with councillors and council officers the city and county councils have worked together and approved in principle a long-awaited proposal to deal with the verges and parking in this area.

There is clearly a chronic shortage of parking spaces in this area yet well-kept verges can make an area much nicer. St Thomas's Square probably has the balance about right, with some bays and verges. Coleridge Conservatives have long argued that in places like Chalmers Road a combination of turning some verges into parking spaces and protecting others vigorously is the right answer.

The plan for Chalmers Road is to repair and reseed verges as approporiate but to turn two substantial sections of verge into hard standing: the low odds and mid evens.

The junctions of Birdwood Road with Gray Road, Ward Road and Chalmers road will have double yellow lines on the corners to discourage unsafe parking (it's a shame these are needed since the highway code is clear on this point as it is...), enforced by wooden bollards.

The Southern side of Birdwood Road as it joins Perne Road is to have its verge strengthened and reseeded.

We have asked the city council whether it is also possible to have trees planted to mitigate the effect of losing verges. Such planting would also help to enforce no parking on the verges.

Overall this seems like a great plan - I hope that it will be accepted by residents and councillors and that it will attract funding.

Green Car Park Madness

Abbey Ward councillors are certainly providing good entertainment value at the moment for avid local politics watchers.

First we had the Labour councillor at full council a week ago claiming that zero-rated VAT goods included hidden VAT payments for the input costs of producing and selling the items. Hint: next time you waste council time debating national policies it's probably best to do your homework first...

Now the Cambridge News reports Green councillors wanting to replace Park Street car park with so-called 'affordable' housing. The car park, which also includes secure cycle parking, is in need of major work or replacement. Originally budgeted at c. £1m it seems the cost may now exceed £2m.

This call is plainly bonkers. Apart from the significant loss of amenity and the effect on city centre trade the loss of the car park would punch a hole in one of the city council's most lucrative sources of income.

The council's budget setting report doesn't appear to break down the figure by car park and doesn't make it easy to find all the associated costs but gives a projection of £7.5m in annual car parking income. Even at the higher end of the scale for the cost of sorting out Park Street car park it is hard to imagine that it wouldn't still be a good value investment. Of course, Coleridge Conservatives would encourage the city council to do its best to keep the costs down!

Just as crazy, however, is the suggestion that it should be so-called 'affordable' housing that the site is used for. How is it good value for council taxpayers and the purchasers of unaffordable housing (anyone not eligible for the 'affordable' stuff) to subsidise accomodation on a prime site in the centre of the city?

Probing Cherry Hinton Road

This is late notice, but if you are wondering what is happening outside the shops on Cherry Hinton Road (down from the Rock) tomorrow - there is some surveying going on with ground penetration radar to determine what services and drainage (if any) there is under the shops prior to the proposed environmental improvements scheme for the area.

It would help if the area could be left free of cars...

Action at last on Ruth Bagnall Court Parking

An issue that I have been moaning to the County Council about for ages looks like it might finally be heading for a solution.

Despite a perfectly adequate underground car park, there is always a row of cars parked on Coleridge Road outside Ruth Bagnall Court, causing problems for road users near the Mill Road junction, and resulting in numerous previous complaints. I've now received this from the County Council:

"For some considerable time the County Council has had limited funding for minor traffic management measures, which would include the introduction of short lengths of new parking or waiting restrictions such as double yellow lines in Coleridge Road adjacent to Ruth Bagnall Court. However, funding is now available to progress a small number of schemes including this one.

As you are probably aware, there is a statutory legal process we are required follow to introduce traffic regulation orders (TROs) prior to implementing any parking or waiting restrictions on street. To commence the statutory process any proposals must be advertised to allow people an opportunity to object.

This TRO will be advertised on 20th November 2009 in the Cambridge Evening News and notices erected on street indicating that objections must be received by 14th December 2009. Any objections will then be considered by the Cambridge Traffic Management Area Joint Committee (CAJC) at its meeting on 25th January 2010.

If no objections are received or if objections are not upheld and the scheme is approved by the CAJC we can then complete the legal processes to enable the order to come into operation and arrange for the installation of any necessary road marking /signing on-street."

Interesting Meeting later today

I'll be very interested to see the outcome of the County Council Conservative group AGM on Friday, in particular who the new Matt Bradney in charge of transport in the City will be. Whoever he or she is can expect a phone call - I have a little list...

UPDATE: Sounds like it will be a little while longer before we can see the white smoke...

Footpath lighting for Corrie/Brackyn Roads

Thank you to everyone who responded to our survey in March of Brackyn Road and Corrie Road with regard to signs for cyclists and pedestrians, street lighting and parking. I include a summary of the results at the end of this posting.

The latest news from the city and county councils on the project to install a new lighting column is that the county council would be able to pay the running costs and that, with the support of local residents, a safe city bid may be successful in paying for the capital costs.

The proposed new light would direct all light downwards. There are two possible locations: near the flats or by the verge. Please let us know if you have any preferences!

Signs directing pedestrians and cyclists through the roads
Every respondent supported this, although there is some concern that the scheme drawn up by the council is bigger than needed and may have the (unwanted to some) effect of directing people through the area who had not already intended to go through it.

Additional street lighting for connecting path
This also was fully supported, and some people were willing to put their names to a grant application. This will be useful for the next stage in the process.

Commuter parking problems
Opinion was divided on the existence and extent of the problem. Yellow lines, at least on corners, were the most popular remedy.

Footnote:

We sadly had to exclude one particular anonymous response from the results. Coleridge Conservatives have produced a number of surveys during the year and we use the information received to help guide our campaigning on local issues, so we were disappointed that an anonymous Labour supporter apparently using a computer where Labour's county council candidate works tried to sabotage the survey by entering a spurious on-line submission.

Rustat Road needs to be considered for Parking Controls

The County Council has asked Councillors if there are any areas of their ward that should be considered for consultation about parking controls. I have long been concerned about the current problems, and the effects of new developments on the Rustat Road area, and think residents should have the opportunity to consider introducing on street controls. This is my response to the County Council:

"I would like the Rustat Road area (to cover areas affected by station commuter parking) to be considered for controlled parking consultations and restrictions.

This does however need to be considered in the context of the redevelopment of the station area and the former water company site, and the prospective timing of these developments needs to be considered to help determine when is the most appropriate time to consult residents.

Finally, I would like to request that any consideration of parking controls looks at a wide variety of possible parking controls, for example parking restriction for small periods of the morning to reduce commuter parking as well as more traditional resident's parking."

Residents' Parking Rejected by Blinco Area

Resident's in the Blinco Grove area of Queen Edith's have rejected plans for resident's parking in the area, in a humiliating blow to local Lib Dems Councillors who have been pushing for the scheme, after forcing through the bizarre consultation arrangements at the relevant committee.

The combined results from the recent consultation exercise in the Blinco Grove/Rock Road/Hartington Grove area in response to the question: Do you support the introduction of on street parking controls in your area?

Strong support - 91 (27%)
Support - 27 (8%)
Don't know - 13 (4%)
Disagree - 30 (9%)
Strongly disagree - 171 (52%)

A clear majority of 61% disagreeing with the plans, that would have seen local residents forced to by resident's parking permits if they wanted to park on the road.

As part of the dogs breakfast of a consultation, Coleridge residents in the Rustat Road area were asked what they thought of the plans to introduce resident's parking in the adjacent Blinco Grove area, and its pretty clear from the results that the question was misinterpreted as should resident's parking be introduced in their area (the question as posed being ridiculous - there is clearly only downsides to resident's parking in an adjacent area). As such, the support in this area was evenly split. Hopefully the Lib Dems on the joint traffic committee will now take note of this fiasco and the objections to the consultation that we raised at the time.

On the Blinco Grove area, I think all Coleridge Councillors agree that most of the problem relates to a relatively small number of vehicles from Hills Road Sixth Form College, that could be fixed instantly if the school had more robust policies on student car usage. But the situation could change rapidly for Coleridge once new developments are built. We would like to ensure Rustat Road area residents are given the opportunity to introduce resident's parking if clearly supported, once the effects developments such as the CB1 station redevelopment and former Cambridge Water site start to be felt.

But in the long term, when are the planners (leaned on by central government policy) going to realise that you can't solve transport problems by pretending that people can be forced out of their cars just by providing insufficient parking spaces. In existing areas, verge parking and other related 'lack of parking' issues are just about the biggest complaint in Councillors' in trays, but at least they have the excuse of being built in an era before near universal car ownership. To build a new generation of developments like Ashwell's CB1 and the Tim Brinton flats that make a virtue of providing wholly insufficient onsite parking is amongst the most shortsighted decisions being made in planning today. In 30 years time we we look back with our carbon-neutral personal vehicles and wonder what on earth people were thinking.

Coleridge Traffic Issues on the Agenda

Two Coleridge traffic issues were subject to petitions at the Cambridge Traffic Management Area Joint Committee today.

Credit where it is due to the former Labour Councillor for Coleridge who in his role as a school governor supported parents bringing a petition requesting a new pedestrian crossing on Perne Road – close to the schools on Radegund Road. Most shocking aspect of this is the fact that there has been no lollipop person at the site for some time despite there being a vacancy for some years – and it was felt that the problems of dealing with secondary school pupils might have affected the ability to recruit. The petition was noted and various suggestions for budgets that might finance a crossing were given. However in the first instance, I don’t think it should be beyond the Council to get this vacancy filled – be in touch if anyone has any suggestions.

Less credit to Labour Councillors on the issue of parking controls on Rustat Road – unfortunately they failed to respond to requests for areas to consider for consultation for on street parking controls, and a decision was made as recently as April 2008 to consult in neighbouring areas of Queen Ediths, and it is difficult to revisit a decision just made within 12 months – as I found out when I asked for urgent action on this soon after election.

A petition was presented now asking for Rustat Road to be included in the consultation exercise due to occur in Queen Ediths. There is a real problem now in Rustat Road, and the new developments with permission on the Tim Brinton site and The Cambridge Water site, and the massive application currently under consideration for the station area will all add to the problems, as will any new parking controls in Queen Ediths. Despite pleas from myself and one of our Labour Councillors and support from Labour and the Conservative County Councillor on this committee, the Lib Dems blocked the plea to include the area in consultations for new parking controls – instead preferring the dogs breakfast of consulting Rustat Road residents on what they think of new parking controls in Queen Ediths. They just don’t seem to care about residents outside their ward. As we are both moving in the same direction, I hope Labour ward Councillors can work with me to tackle this issue going forwards.

Also on the agenda was the problematic signage for 2-way cycle usage on one way streets. I’m still waiting for a meaningful reply from my email to the government...

Corrie/Davy Junction

Quick bit of info...

Lots of people were concerned about parking near the Corrie Rd/Davy Rd junction - I've followed this up with the relevant people, who have inspected the site and confirmed that the yellow lines weren't properly re-instated after road resurfacing, and this will be fixed (hopefully reasonably shortly) to put them back to where they should be. Extending them beyond this is apparantly a wholly more complex question...

Wheelclampers on the prowl

Something that appears to be new in Coleridge in the couple of days I was away - there were wheelclampers in action this evening that have clamped a couple of cars parked on the Tim Brinton site in front of the pine furniture shop.

I know the City planners made a complete hash of parking arrangements for this area, and it is private land, but this does seem to be a bit of an over-reaction when the shop concerned isn't even open...