Councillor Mike Williamson provided an update at last night's Parish Council meeting regarding the Alderley Edge Parking Review.
This important issue was discussed at length and Councillor Williamson made it very clear he has no intention of responding to the comments of our readers on alderleyedge.com who "complain and bitch".
He asked "Where are the concerned residents who want to come and talk to the Parish Council about this issue, where are they tonight?
"We're really making progress in a way that will help all people in the village, not just those on a few streets. We are not responsible, we are not the statutory authority, we're getting involved, shaping the process and making real positive progress.
"We're not going to enter into debate with individuals via the website (alderleyedge.com). If they want to enter into a debate they should get up here and tell us and we'll tell them what we're doing."
Parish Councillors met with James Howard (Projects and Development Officer at Cheshire East Council), Paul Burns (Parking Services Manager at Cheshire East Council) and Councillor Rod Menlove (Cabinet member with responsibility for environmental services) recently who took them through the parking survey they have recently completed in the village.
Councillor Mike Williamson said "The gist of the parking survey were some recommendations such as the duration of parking allowed. They came to the conclusion that there would be the introduction of 1 hour parking on London Road and parts of the side streets closest to London Road, outside of that it will be 2 hours to allow people to stay a little bit longer."
Councillor Williamson added "We had a very interesting discussion about residents parking and a debate about the legality - establishing that residents don't have a legal right to park in the space outside their house."
Speaking about resident's parking schemes he said, "They (Cheshire East) do it because they have identified people who live on a street that has a genuine issue, where people can never park."
Explaining what will happen next, Councillor Williamson said "James Howard is going to draft a letter to residents, some time in the next couple of weeks and once we've signed it off he'll send it to residents. He will then go through the feedback received and arrange a public consultation at the end of September/beginning of October.
"The only issue we had is who gets consulted. We have identified people on Downsway, Blackshaw Lane and Chorley Hall Lane who have already been affected by people parking there. Netherfields is another area.
"I need to wait and see what the letter says and push for the widest distribution and widest consultation we can achieve. If it means we need to throw a bit of money in to achieve this we need to be prepared to.
"There will be a big meeting at the Festival Hall, a proper public consultation which should happen at the end of September/beginning of October. The consultation has got to be broader than just the streets they are doing the work in, we want to consult with a wider group of people.
"Before they run the consultation we're going to agree what form it takes and what people are going to be involved. They are going to send us a letter so we can approve it. Ultimately it is Cheshire East's responsibility but we are, as an elected Parish Council, having our say."
Speaking about what will come out of this whole process, Mike Williamson said "When the public consultation is complete and we have a clear idea of what residents want there is no point in doing it unless they improve the road markings and signage.
Even if a public consultation is held he expressed his concerns that very little will come of it in the near future saying "Even if we have a public consultation the chances of highways doing anything immediately after that is nil because highways is being hived off to the company that won the consultation."
I requested a copy of the Alderley Edge Parking review from Cheshire East Council yesterday and was informed by Councillor Rod Menlove that "The Alderley Edge parking review is in progress and not as yet finalised as a recommendation."
In case you missed it, our previous article 'Parish consults over staff parking' generated a lot of discussion and debate.
For further articles regarding parking in Alderley Edge, which is a contentious issue amongst residents, businesses and visitors please use the tags below.
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
The implication from Councillor Williamson's comments is that the residents are happy to discuss the issue on a website but not bother themselves to attend meetings to effect a change. I can assure anyone who has not been involved in the process that this is not the case. Two residents of the streets in question (not including me) began work on a comprehensive and very well thought out proposal in February 2010 after consultation of all residents in the affected streets and dialogue with relevant parties. This proposal was presented to the Parish Council later in the year. Whilst I did not attend last night's meeting as I was working away, I have previously attended two Parish Council meetings, along with a significant number of other residents, to discuss the issue of residents' parking. In the most recent of the two meetings, the attendees established that Councillor Williamson had not read the residents' parking proposal which we were there to discuss. I cannot speak for other residents and why they did not attend, however based on the outcome of previous meetings, they could be forgiven for thinking their attendance last night would be futile. The speed of action has been disappointing to say the least and the discussion on the website at least appears to have triggered the beginning of some progress, whatever that may be.
Finally, I do not understand what relevance the comments regarding the legal right of a resident to park outside his or her house have. We are all aware that we do not have a legal right to park outside our houses, we have never suggested otherwise and we are not trying to change the law. We are simply trying to introduce a residents' parking scheme, the purpose of which (taken directly from http://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk) is stated below:
The purpose of residents parking schemes
In many areas it is difficult for residents to park, due to long term parking by commuters, shoppers and tourists. The purpose of the scheme is to stop this and allow the spaces to be used mainly for the benefit of residents
Newsy people always like a story - Vicar in Topless Model Bid - really means that a member of the clergy sought to buy a small replica of the Venus de Milo at auction :))))
I have returned this evening from a meeting of Wilmslow residents with James Howard and Rod Menlove in respect of a Resident's Parking Scheme for a street near to Wilmslow Station where the problem parking is that of rail commuters. From this I drew a number of interesting points.
1. The preliminary vote on whether to draft a traffic order and advertise a scheme will be carried out amongst the residents who live within the scheme boundaries. There does not appear to be an initial wide consultation with those who might find themselves the recipients of displaced parking - their chance comes when the initial traffic order has been drafted and published.
2. Rod stated his purpose as being to provide residents' parking schemes where the was strong public demand for them and a clear need. ( I hope I have reflected his comments fairly )
3. Schemes that are simple to sign and implement are preferred over those that require lots of road paint and signs. It seems to me that for Lydiat Lane and Carlisle Street - the really easy solution is to make the whole small network, including Netherfields, a residents parking zone - it would simply require signs at the end of Carlisle St and Lydiat Lane - much the same as the Wilmslow scheme that was discussed tonight.
4. I was pleased to note that Wilmslow has a brand spanking new Parish Council that appears to have been fully behind their residents in taking their scheme forwards.
I can only hope that we see the problem streets of Alderley Edge resolved in the same positive and pleasant manner as happened this evening for some Wilmslow streets.
For Councillor Williams to dismiss the expressed genuine concerns and issues as "Complain and bitch", demonstrates his lack of respect for the responsble residents (and voters), many of whom have served, and continue to this community well. e.g. Christine Munro and Marc Asquith and the authors of the resident's parking proposal.
How can the chairman enter a debate about the legality of resident's right to park in front of their houses? Surely, if we thought we had this legal right then we would be seeking the enforcement of it rather than permission. What we do require is the chance to park either on our street or within the zone for the benifit of residents, including the disabled and mothers with young children and shopping.
It is regretful that apart from one councillor, more of them don't take advantage of this excellent forum to communicate with the wider community which they chose to serve.
I was at the Parish Council meeting where Mike lost his temper for a moment or two... be charitable guys, he is doing a lot of work for the parish and we all have the odd 'moment'?
You may know by now that C.East are about to send a letter to residents re. parking and especially re. residents' parking... at this time I simply do not know whether that letter is to go to everyone or only to those residents of streets where residents' parking might come in... this letter should be out within a few weeks... I understand that there will then be a public meeting (Festival Hall probably) where there will (hopefully) be plans/diagrams/colour coding/C.East Officers... so perhaps a chance for residents to 'get at' C.East?
Catriona... the thing about legal rights and parking in front of one's own home was a bit of a red herring that cropped up... we all know it so why it cropped up I don't know... you are so right about parking having become emotive and that we are all frustrated... I so wish someone could come up with a master plan that satisfies everyone (throw in world peace as well?)... the Parish Council is not ignoring anyone; some of the small recent changes e.g. directing traffic to the airport without it going through the village have come about only because the Parish Council nagged away at C.East Officers... as to the lack of speed of action; anything that goes up to C.East has a 'wait factor' that we can do nought about. I have read and re-read the residents' proposal you mention and the parish plan's comments on parking; indeed there is now newly in existence a small group (sub-committee?) of parish plan people and parish councillors to re-examine every traffic/parking proposal in the parish plan with the aim of coming up with a list of achievable aims, in nice clear english, to present to C.East.
One of the things we are doing at the moment is looking at what has been done in Poynton to see if we can cherry-pick some of their ideas... a bunch of parish Councillors have been to see Poynton (no drinkies or nibbles, so not a freebie!) and listen to a presentation of their ideas and shortly the chap who masterminded their scheme is coming to 'walk' our village to then offer us some (free) advice.
Marc... your point 4 is you making a little mischief?
Kriss...as you know, my personal view is that residents' parking should be tried (suck it and see) but there are residents who are opposed to the whole idea (I know 'cos they've told me so). Perhaps C.East's shortly forthcoming consultation will result in them falling on your side of the fence!
Sorry to go on a bit
If it is http://www.alderleyedge.eu/ then it looks like it hasn't been updated for years as it still says that the by pass is coming!!!.
The Parish Council should embrace alderleyedge.com and use it more as a forum to find out what people want in the village, not just presume and to say that the residents/users of the site just bitch and complain.
There are many issues that need adressing in the village and parking is one. As previously stated in the comments above, the residents are asking for a situation to be addressed and are quite within their right to ask for residents parking to be introduced. In many areas it is difficult for residents to park, due to long term parking by commuters, shoppers and tourists. The purpose of the scheme is to stop this and allow the spaces to be used mainly for the benefit of residents. Obviously subject to consultation by Cheshire East.
Many years ago, I was able to park in front of my house without any problems and take public transport to work without the fear of getting a ticket, until the Council decided to put 1 hour parking on the road. Was I consulted? The answer is no!!!, it just happened.
The residents in my road decided not to attend the meeting as previous discussions with the Parish Council, have just fallen on deaf ears.
I have to say that this debate is going round in ever increasing circles - hard work and man hours have been put in by key residents of our area who galvanized the residents into thinking about this issue and how to resolve it. As mentioned by Duncan Herald why cannot a trial be carried out and lets see what happens.
Overall I just do not get it - all the debates about this situation are not actually solving or moving forward on any thing. So please can we just get on with it and cut out the bickering !!!!
It’s a shame Marc Asquith isn’t on the council anymore. It’s nice to see that he has attended the newly formed parish council for Wilmslow to see how they are getting on with the parking situation and that they are fully behind there residents. Did any of our local councillors attend?
Looking at the Parish website again, i am not sure who is actually on the parish council and what they do. It says on the website that “New instructions from the Information Commissioner’s Office mean that by law we need to make certain information available to the public”
The parish have set up a document “information available from Alderley Edge Parish Council under the Model Publication Scheme (Details as at 1 January 2009)” It shows were you are meant to find information. From what i can see the parish seem to be in breach, but i might be wrong, as i can’t find any of the information that they say can be obtained on the website. i.e minutes of meetings, when the meetings are, who is on the council etc etc, apart from the meeting dates of 2009
If it wasn’t for Alderleyedge.com, none of the residents in the village would have any idea what is going on. Maybe it is time for the Parish council to update and keep their website up to date with what is happening and when meetings are instead of it being 2 plus years out of date.
I understand that many of the councillors volunteer their time, but surely the parish clerk should keep the website up to date.
1. the minutes of the Parish Council are (kindly) put on alderleyedge.com AND are in a paper form on the 5-sided structure outside the Coop. There is a list of Parish Councilors (including address and 'phone number) on the 5-sided thing and in the local library. One problem is that the Parish Council does not sufficiently publicise what it does, so it often seems that we do nothing alas e.g. in the parish plan there is a section on the park wherein are listed approx. 11 aims and we've managed to 'do' approx. 5 of them; we hope to do something soon to remedy that lack of publicity.
2. It should be clear by now that the Parish Council has no legal authority whatsoever over Highways, Parking etc. All we can do is go on at Cheshire East, asking them to do things.We have not been awkward. I have been in many meetings with the Cheshire East Officers and they are mostly helpful people but they are constrained by all the laws/regulations which seem to have been designed just to stop things happening! e.g. if you wish to pass a bye-law, it has to go to the relevant Secretary of State to be o.k'ed!
3. There are two ads. in the local paper this week, to obtain both a new Parish Clerk (Kevin is sadly retiring) and a new Festival Hall manager who's job description will hopefully include up-dating the website (which is imho indeed a rubbish website at this time!).
4. As for getting on with it...it is Cheshire East who are intending to write to you, consult with you and have the public meeting in Sept./Oct.. about parking, not the Parish Council. If you get the letter, please reply and if you are invited to the public meeting please come. If it was up to us, there would likely be residents' parking schemes, different parking times etc. already in place.
5. Residents want short parking times (e.g. 1 hour) but Traders want longer parking times (e.g. 2 hours to give shoppers time to spend money)). How can these two views be 'meshed'?
6. Some residents are 'happy' with a fee in a residents' parking scheme but others say it must be free of charge.
7. Good luck to the new Wilmslow Parish Council...give it 6 months and see if they can make it work?
Finally; all the nine Parish Councillors live in/around the village... they are a good cross section of the local rsidents... they go to many meetings; next week there is a meeting every evening (aaggh!)... they all want the best for the village...they get every bit as frustrated as you do.
By the way, Parish Councillors do not get paid and do not claim any expenses and don't go on freebies (we wish!).
Duncan Herald
It is understood that in the proposal that was put forward to the parish and cheshire east by the residents who would like the introduction of residents parking that they too would like to see longer hours to keep people in the village shopping and had suggested that there be a mixture of residents parking and also the time limit increased to 2 hours to allow people to shop in the village, so i am not sure in what areas the residents are recomending 1 hour Parking.
However, it was clear that the PC supported their residents fully in pressing for a scheme.
I spend a fair bit of time talking to people in the park (dog walkers) and on London Rd. Some people want 1 hour and some want longer.
A basic question here is that if/when we present our view to Cheshire East, it needs to be a clear and single message... otherwise C.East will just do what they think best (which may not be what we all think best) e.g. should a residents' parking scheme be for 8 - 8 or 8 - 5? and e.g. what provision needs to be made for the availability of parking for non-residents, in the affected streets? I don't know the answers but if we aren't united then we may not get anywhere.
Might you and other readers make your own views known e.g. are you in favour of the suggested plan put forward by Messers Taylorson & Chapman re. Clifton St. & Carlisle St.& Lynton Lane etc.... I'm asking as I live on Horseshoe Lane and we don't have any parking problems so I've no actual experience of what it 'feels' like.
Yes i am in favour of the document suggested by Messer’s Taylorson and Chapman. it looks at the areas involved sympathetically, whilst also showing consideration to the local businesses to allow a mixture of residents and visitor parking by increasing the time from 1hr to 2 hours to allow more time for shopping in the village.
I and i am sure other residents who are in the areas involved have no issue of paying the £50 per permit if it allows us to park as long as it is policed properly.
The village as it was put in an earlier posting has more of cafe culture so as to timings, i would be more in favour of 8am to 8pm. Especially as i believe that there are potentially two more restaurants to come into the village at the Clifton street end, one in the old number 15 and if rumours are true a Pizza Express where Tesco are now.
The areas involved can be used as a test case and if other areas in the village require it then it can be rolled out as it is in Wilmslow.
I've always liked the idea of R'permit as a trial... I do wonder whether a public spirited citizen might orchestrate a joint scheme from all the likely streets (don't look at me!)... you might find that some don't like the idea of paying (as in I was told that by the folk who object to payment... only a couple)... the last I heard about the ex-No. 15 was that it would become a piano bar (whatever that is)... there's also a rumour that 'fruitcake' might re-open in one of the empty shops... you sound like a good volunteer to me!
The permit scheme requires the drafting and advertising of a legal document called a Traffic Regulation Order. This is advertised for a specified period and any objections then considered by Rod Menlove in his role as portfolio holder. This is an expensive and time consuming process - CEC is never going to do it twice !
As for attending the PC meeting to discuss matters further - let me put my position clearly - I want Resident's Parking for Carlisle St and Lydiat Lane so I can park somewhere close to my house. I support the residents of Clifton St. in their desire to do exactly the same. If my position on this changes I will let the PC know - otherwise they can assume that they know what I want.
1. Why should it be 'expensive and time consuming'? The documentation must already exist from former such orders? So dig out an old one and change the date and address? A 10 minute job?
If as we are led to believe, Cllr. menlove is in favour of the permit scheme, then all he has to do is sign the documentation? A 2 minute job?
2. Are you refering to the C.East consultative meeting in Sept./Oct? 'cos that's got nowt to do with the Parish Council. If you are refering to the normal Parish Council meetings... yes we know how much the residents want 'residents' permit schemes' in place 'cos the residents have made that v. clear to us... but we also hear from people who don't want such schemes as they are worried about a possible knock on effect into their streets... as I'm sure you know, from your service as a cllr., there are always two sides to any matter! e.g. in the Parish Plan there is not a majority in favour of Residents Parking Schemes; of 440 respondents, 90 were for residents parking and 76 for residents parking permits and 22 thought that parking in residential areas caused inconvinience, so over 50% either didn't want or didn't consider it important enough to mention/vote for.
4. Don't leave Lynton Lane off the list of those who may want a residents' parking scheme... they get left off too often.
Mike Taylerson's proposal submitted after months of careful research and preparation is first class and I can only implore Cheshire East to re-examine it carefully.
It really is time for ACTIONS NOT WORDS.
However what we are trying to do is come to a compromise with all aspects of the village from the traders of which I am one and also the residents. We would like to have a mixture of residents and 2 hour parking, to allow people longer to shop and use the facilities within our village. But we are in the hands of Cheshire East who have been most accommodating with all the discussions that we have had with them to date and also in some ways in agreement with our proposal, however it is subject to consultation and if agreed will take a minimum of six months to implement, so is not going to happen over night.
As for areas like Lynton Lane, I cannot comment. Mike and I are happy to discuss with the residents if they would like us to.
We feel that we have a real opportunity to implement a scheme within the village and for Mike and I it would be interesting to get peoples views on how they would like it to work and if they agree with the document that we submitted?
The document submitted gave clear facts & figures, based on consultation with residents/ neighbours in the affected streets, where spacial restrictions exist, quite unlike other areas named as possible recipients of displacement [which until it happens is unquantifiable].
Therefore highlighting our acceptance that a public consultation should be part of the process and not just be implemented as previously happened, thus increasing the problem!
As Marc Asquith correctly observes the TRO gives residents & potential areas of displacement the right to express any concerns. However their requirements may be completely different in solving any potential problems [as yet unknown]. To do otherwise is to put the Cart before the Horse!
Our proposal was quite separate to the Parish Plan, but was influenced by it. The % shown in our document clearly identify an escalation of concern within our areas.
The ability of others e.g [Lynton Lane] is not in question, where it comes to dealing with traffic problems that affect them. The solution for them may be different, but if they have issues then they should be addressing them as we are trying to do with ours.
I emphasise that this is just to start a consultation with residents who will/may fall under the proposed schemes. If they support it, then a TRO ( see above ) is drafted and is open to everyone to comment. Quite why it has taken so long for the PC to approve this is a mystery to me. I do not think they understand the process and want to consult more widely before we even know if the proposal has support from those who will / may live in the area where the scheme will be effective. Its sad when most of the PC are kept in the dark and just a few have most of the information and keep the decision making in their pockets. It's even worse when those few disappear on holiday and no one is left capable of making a decision. Congratulations today should go the Matthew Lloyd who took the full blast of Asquith Ire at the Bypass naming ceremony this morning and Mary Maczkowiak for picking up the lose ball and running it to a pleasing conclusion. Thanks to both of them for their hard work.
Let's now see what the response to the consultation looks like.
I would encourage everyone to return their questionnaires asap and also to support a residents' scheme. For those who are on the edges of the area and fear displacement - CEC can include restrictions to keep the all day parkers away from your homes - but please support the scheme - we do not have off road parking and cannot reliably park near to our houses. Thanks