There will be some road closures in the village centre this weekend to enable additional parking spaces to be created.
On Sunday, 11th December, Chapel Street will be shut from the junction with London Road to the junction with Massey Street and Stevens Street will be closed from the junction with London Road to the junction with Trafford Road.
The closures are to enable Cheshire East Highways to carry out lining works to create 15 additional parking spaces, announced previously on alderleyedge.com.
Wherever possible, the work will be done without closing the road; however, it is likely that there will also be temporary closures in parts of South Street, West Street and George Street.
Councillor Craig Browne explained said "Normally, CE Highways would not carry out this work during December, but they are doing it now to try and support the retailers in the village, particularly in the run up to Christmas. They are trying to carry out the work when it will cause the least disruption to trade, which is why Sunday has been chosen.
"By combining South Street, West Street, George Street, Chapel Street, Stevens Street and London Road in the same scheme, we have managed to keep the cost down to £4,000; whereas if they had been done separately, the cost would have been £12,000. The scheme has been funded by CEC, through the Local Area Highways Partnership."
Councillor Mike Dudley-Jones added "As a result of work carried out at Cheshire East Council with the Overview and Scrutiny Committee by Craig Browne, our Ward Councillor, he has been able to access over £100,000 of Section 106 funds. Whilst a part of this money has been used to support the Alderley Edge Youth Council's desire to improve facilities for younger residents with their initial upgrading of the children's play area in the Park, part of the balance will be used to fund the installation of dropped kerbs in the centre of the Village starting with Clifton Street, Stevens Street, South Street and West Street.
"In addition to dropped kerbs, new signage will be implemented in early 2017 showing that some roads will then become 'one way only' to accommodate the new parking spaces being installed on Sunday. This will improve village centre traffic flow which will be welcomed.
"Because the funding for the dropped kerbs and new signage indicating 'one way' traffic flow comes from a different source from the line/space marking the Parish Council has been forced to accept that the changes cannot be made together. Rather than lose the opportunity to improve village centre parking they ask that residents and visitors be mindful that all the changes will not be fully complete until early 2017 and so a little driver patience will need to be shown in those streets with new parking spaces as traditional two way traffic flow might be slower as drivers move in and out of the new spaces.
"This will change once the scheme is complete."
Pedestrian access to any premises situated within the temporary closures will be maintained at all times on Sunday, 11th December, and access for emergency and residents vehicles will be maintained where possible.
Comments
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Meanwhile there were plenty of empty bays in South Street car park.
Just saying.
your first above sounds a good idea.
So today (Sunday) I drove to the Medical Centre car park. Only 12 cars were parked in there. On the other hand the exit gates were shut (mixed message?). Is there a need for parking there on a Sunday?
Perhaps someone might care to do a look-see on a Saturday; at times when the medical centre isn't operating of course. Charge (reasonably) for it ?
By the by; some goodly time ago I suggested that the quite large car park of the R.C. Church (next to the Medical Centre) might make its parking facility available to the public, when the Church doesn't need it. I was firmly told 'No'.
As the parking situation has got worse, mayhaps someone might care to approach the Church again? The Methodist Chapel actually rents out its parking (around the back of the Chapel) and generates a goodly income !
God works in mysterious ways ?
I'm glad that I never have to park in Alderley, my sympathies to those who do.
why don't I ask again?
1. I am no longer a Parish Councillor and imho such 'negotiation' is better from the P.C. as they can rightly claim to represent 'the people'.
2. I am not R.C. and so have no conection with the Church.
3. I think (I could be wrong) that decisions on behalf of the Church are taken by a committee of the worshipers there and so perhaps someone/s who know the committee members are best placed to approach the Church.
Do you come under 1 or 2 or 3 ?
I believe that PCSOs have the authority to intervene where a vehicle is causing an obstruction - such as parked on double yellow lines as I described above.
Some time ago, it was established that PCSOs did not have appropriate authority to issue fixed penalty notices in relation to non-endorsable parking infringements and Cheshire Police (and others) were challenged over this. However, as I understand it, that loophole has since been closed.
https://www.cheshire.police.uk/news-and-appeals/news/pcso-parking-powers/
I think if the new PC put more thought into how to make it more appealing for places like the church /schools/ medical centre to allow public parking at weekends or evenings (or whenever they don't need the spaces) then they would solve a lot of the parking issues, save money on trying to develop other parking initiatives and stop wasting everyone's time in the process. Everyone is so bored of the parking issues (residents, customers and business owners)- yet there are so many options for solutions - I don't understand why everything takes such a long time for anything to happen?! The park option was suggested YEARS ago... and only now is it being publicised by the PC as a viable option. How many businesses have closed down waiting for this to be sorted?! How many more will close before it finally gets done in some 10 years time!