The long awaited report regarding parking in Alderley Edge has been published.
The much discussed and anticipated parking review was carried out in the village last summer by Cheshire East Council (CEC), to look at parking management and control in the village centre in terms of both on and off street parking.
The objectives of the review were to study the existing controls and facilities for parking in the central area of the village and identify changes needed to improve the provision, control and management of parking for local residents, businesses and their customers.
The review was to cover all car parks and on street controls, as well as proposed residents' parking schemes and recommendations for changes and improvements.
The study identified a number of locations and streets where the needs of residents and visitors conflict, which is causing some difficulty. These fall into two categories: firstly those of mixed residential/business use close to the village centre, such as South Street and Clifton Street, and mainly residential streets further removed from the centre which are experiencing all day parking.
Resident's parking schemes were requested on Clifton Street, Carlisle Street, Thurston Green, Beech Cottage and Netherfields which are all considered appropriate locations so a formal consultation and survey is underway.
Public notices are currently on display at these selected streets where the council is proposing to introduce parking places Monday to Saturday from 8am until 8pm for the use of permit holders only. Permits will cost £50 a year for residents and £80 for businesses, located in that particular street. Books of visitor's card will also be available to purchase.
In addition Cheshire East are proposing to introduce lengths of no waiting in Clifton Street, Lydiat Lane, Carlisle Street and Thurston Green.
Parish councillors are meeting with Paul Burns, Parking Services Manager at Cheshire East Council, to discuss the parkig review report.
Speaking at the Parish Council meeting on Monday, 12th March, Cllr Mike Williamson said "There were a number of issues in the report which we raised with Paul Burns when he first put it to the Parish Council for comments which we are going to discuss.
"In his report he suggested that residents parking schemes should not go ahead until the there is a change in parking scheme at South Street car park and the Ryleys Lane car park at the park. Neither of these have been addressed, particularly in regard to displacement."
Cllr Williamson described the proposed residents parking schemes as a "piecemeal implementation of strategy rather than a visionary one".
Cllr Matthew Lloyd commented "Paul Burn's view is that it is very hard to tell if displacement would happen so their approach to it is to wait and see if there is displacement and where it is and if anything needs to be done to address it because they cannot forecast displacement."
Cllr Williamson said "Blackshaw Lane and Chorley Hall Lane are areas where something needs to be done to combat displacement. A classic example is Congleton Road outside the De Trafford Arms where ten to twelve vehicles are parked every day. I saw one couple park there and walk down the road with suitcases to the station.
"The residents parking has to form part of the overall strategy, that's what we'll push for."
The parking review concludes "There are grounds for improving the on and off street management of parking in Alderley Edge, to improve circulation and occupancy whilst reducing contraventions."
Measures suggested to help improve footfall in the town centre include:
- Off Street capacity could be improved through investment and improved control of Festival Hall and Ryleys Lane. The legal background to Ryleys Lane to be researched with a view to adoption as a public, controlled car park, within the next 9 months
- Festival Hall management should hand over administration of permits to Cheshire East Council. Existing permits to be honoured until renewal date, then replaced, on application and approval, by Cheshire East permits.
- South Street car park long stay occupancy to be monitored and its status reviewed following improvements to other sites above.
- West St car park to be removed from Council operation as a public car park owing to condition and the wish of the owner.
- On street capacity may be improved through changes to Limited Waiting Bays length of stay to 2 hours, other than in London Road which should remain 1 hour. i.e. Stamford Road, West Street, South Street, South Grove, George Street, Chapel Street, Massey Street, Brown Street and Stevens Street.
- Improved maintenance and upkeep of signs and lines for on street restrictions should lead to better compliance, in turn helping to reduce congestion and delay to motorists looking for parking space.
- Two Residents Parking Schemes may be beneficial if planned in combination with the other recommendations for off street parking. Confirmation of majority support from residents of the streets will be crucial, followed by design and implementation work by both Highways and Parking sections.
- The establishment of resident schemes should ideally take place as close as possible in time as improvements to the Festival Hall car park, and with changes to the Limited Waiting Bay periods.
The Alderley Edge Parking Review can be read in full here.
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