Having pledged to make parking their number one priority during the run up to the election, Alderley Edge Parish Council are currently in the process of gathering information to enable them to carry out a review of the current parking situation in the village.
They began the parking review on Wednesday 15th July, when volunteers dressed in high visibility jackets patrolled 16 roads in the village very early in the morning and then again mid morning counting the number of cars and recording the type of vehicle along with the registration number.
Councillor Mike Dudley-Jones said "Their efforts have given us a 'snapshot' of the number of cars parked (legally) in the village belonging to long term parkers who are employed by the various businesses we have.
"Carrying out the survey at this time allowed us to 'isolate' the number of teaching and other staff involved in working at our three schools. It is these extra numbers that we seek to identify in the second part of the survey in two weeks time.
"Once that is complete, added to the outcome of some excellent meetings we have had with Cheshire East Council, we will be in a much better position to inform the Village as to how far we have come and what our options might then be."
Mike added "I do believe that our ongoing discussions with Cheshire East and the results of the survey so far will become more interesting by the time we call our next informal Parish Meeting in October where we can give a more complete picture."
The survey is due to be completed during the week commencing 21st September.
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
1 Ryleys Lane car park should be extended to the boundary with London Road.This would accommodate some 50 extra vehicles.and would involve a walk of only 2 or 3 minutes to the village .
2 The parts of Redesmere Road ,Windermere Drive and Grasmere which are clogged with parked vehicles on weekdays should be limited to 1 hour parking.
I look forward to the results!
Re. a proposal to increase the size of the car park at Ryleys Lane.
A litttle background.
1. the idea is not new of course. A few years ago a large meeting (approx. 70 people) was held under the title 'Parking Forum' to discuss the parking problem. The idea was put forward there and even then it was not a new idea.
Why did nothing come of the idea? C.E. were against it. The then C.E. councillor for A.E. was against it. Some of the then Parish Councillors were against it.
For what it is worth, I was guardedly in favour.
2. I am unsure as to whether as many as 50 vehicles could be shoehoened in. Back in the day, when I measured it all, I thought that 30-35 was more likely to be viable.
3. In the recent past, C.E. were not interested in the Ryleys Lane car park unless they did it up 'properly'; new surface and parking meters. Their then estimate of the cost was circa £75,000.
4. Some of us feel that a 30 (or 40 or 50) car increase would be of use but is not large enough to be significant in the longer term. I feel that what is needed is a larger car park; around 125-175, as was suggested for the Heyes Lane site. The difference in the number of cars depending on the amount of planting etc might be wanted.
May I disagree about the viability of a car park on Heyes Lane. Early interest from such as 'Chess' may well have indicated that local business would have 'taken' up many of the spaces, hopefully thus freeing up parking in the village. As the parking problem continues to grow, the viability of a car park on Heyes Lane increases i believe.
It will be interesting to see what the current Parish Council's expected report on the parking problem might say about whether a large car park is needed and indeed where their preferred location for such a car park would be.
It's not about what 70 odd people who attended a meeting several years ago thought at that time. It's not about what you, or others 'feel' is the solution. It is about exactly what the present Parish Council promised - a carefully thought out assessment of the needs and usage of parking in our village now.
Frankly, we are all absolutely clear on your position (certainly those of us who frequent this website). You 'feel' that converting the Heyes Lane Allotments into a car park is the only viable solution. However, the voting population in this village apparently did not share your view, nor did they support the way the previous PC were pursuing that ambition.
Therefore, would it not now be possible, Duncan, for you to sit back and wait to see what information this latest review reveals and what conclusions and recommendations this Parish Council make, before drawing a conclusion and proffering your now well documented position?
I'm guessing, with a sinking heart, that if their recommendations don't include turning the Heyes Lane allotments into a car park then you are going to be opposed to them. Whatever they may be. No matter how imaginative. Or perhaps you will surprise me.
I think it was Ruth Norbury that suggested some while ago that it may be possible to find a swathe of land between Heyes Lane Allotment and the new Festival Hall to provide approx. 40 parking bays. Equally there was a suggestion that a similar or greater number could be created at Chorley Hall Lane Playing field whilst still maintaining it's primary function as a sports field.
Add to that a similar number at Ryleys Lane and a total of approx. 120 bays are achieved WITHOUT the need to take away from the intended and primary use of the sites involved.
But I am concerned that there is "Limbo Land" at Ryleys Farm and at Wilmslow Road that I suspect will be used in future for commercial development which, if the stakeholders were being perfectly honest and equitable, could be used to create some more parking places.
The dynamic seems to be to develop Alderley Edge for commercial gain and to let the Council, Tax payer solve the problems associated with that development.
you tell me that I am writing (above) about the forthcoming Parking Review. But if you read what I actually wrote, you should note that it was an answer to two gentleman writers (above) and mainly about the Ryleys Lane car park. If you are going to be an 'attack dog' (Canis bigotus) then please bite in the right place!
You wrote in rather a dismissive way about '70 odd people who attended a meeting....'; that was not very nice of you.Those 70 people were your fellow villagers and they attended a meeting because they were concerned about the parking/traffic problem. It was not a parish council meeting but a meeting of local people; I thought you were in favour of that sort of meeting?
I shall take your remark about my being clear on my position re. Heyes Lane as a compliment; as I have talked with many people and thought long and hard about the parking problems befoe coming to my own conclusion. You do not agree with my conclusion and that's fine by me.By the way, do you have a parking solution in mind? If so, please share it with us rather than just sniping at the opinions of others?
I am indeed awaiting the outcome of the Parish Council's review and what it brings forth; if they can ameliorate or even solve the village's parking problem/s without the need to build a car park, then I shall indeed warmly applaud them as they will deserve applause. If on the other hand they see no alternative but to provide a car park then I also await their conclusion on where to build it. Where might your choice be by the way?