Alderley Edge Parish Council are working on a number of initiatives with the aim of improving the parking situation in the village. They are also seeking a public consultation following the parking survey which is currently being undertaken by Cheshire East Council.
The Parish Council are currently in the process of speaking with local businesses whom they expect to contribute to that consultation.
Chairman of the Parish Council, Mike Williamson said "At a recent public meeting organised by the Parish Council, residents made it very clear that restaurants and bars are seen as major contributors to nuisance and disturbance caused through inappropriate parking by employees and customers.
"We think staff are taking up a large number of parking spaces close to their place of work, which results in fewer spaces for customers, or they are parking in nearby residential streets, causing nuisance and annoyance to neighbours, who are also potential customers."
The Parish Council intends to run a campaign, in partnership with Cheshire Police and the local press, to change the attitudes of both employees and customers, and is inviting local businesses to participate in that campaign to help solve the problems of residents living adjacent to, or close to their businesses.
They are in the process of visiting local businesses to collate information on staff numbers, how many live locally, whether the business has a travel plan, how many staff use public transport, how many car parking spaces they have on the premises and what time the last members of staff leave the premises.
Councillor Williamson explained the reasons for the visits are two fold.
"One to let the businesses know that residents perceive them as part of the problem and that we want to try and do something about it and second to try and gauge the scale of the problem.
"There seems little point in proposing a particular solution if numbers mean it won't work. The other is that I hope to use the raw data to encourage Cheshire East to conduct a proper assessment, and to use that more sophisticated and comprehensive survey to influence the debate on permitting further A3 developments within the village."
They have visited 8-10 businesses so far and will be visiting more businesses in the village this week.
Councillor Frank Keegan and Councillor Mike Williamson are also meeting with Cheshire East officers this week regarding the proposed residential parking schemes and they will be discussing a public consultation at that meeting.
Councillor Mike Williamson added "It is this issue which is fundamental to us.
"Parish Coucillors are not opposed to residents parking schemes where they are applicable, i.e. Clifton Street. The important point I want to get across is that the Parish Council represents all residents in the village. As things stand, if we introduce a parking scheme in Clifton Street, or Carlisle Street tomorrow, the car owners causing the problems will simply drive a little further and park in Downsway or Blackshaw Lane, where there is already an increasing problem, or on Chorley Hall Lane.
"The Parish Council is simply not prepared to see the problem shifted, without allowing those other residents a say in how we manage the process. Residential streets with off street parking will not be able to set up schemes, but there are other measures to be taken i.e. better street signage, road markings, parking restrictions to protect corner visibility and driveway access etc. This is what the public consultation will address.
"The help of the police is essential in my opinion, because even though parking has been decriminalised, they have a wealth of experience in dealing with this matter, and can give the Parish Council a lot of advice and support, as well as enforce the law where necessary."
The parking survey carried out by Cheshire East Council is nearing completion.
Paul Burns, Parking Services Manager at Cheshire East Council, told me "I have prepared a draft summary report for Councillor Menlove and we now await discussions between the councillors as to how they wish to proceed. Subject to that, there may be more work to do, but at this stage I have suspended activity on the review."
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
By way of reminder, Clifton Street has two 1 hour parking bays. As a temporary solution whilst Tesco was being built, I pushed through the Cheshire County Council Highways Committee the disabling of the restrictions on one of those bays so that residents could at least park outside their homes without getting parking tickets. CCC's temporary solution remains in place today - CCC was abolished in 2009.
So far as I can tell - the Parish had not actually 'done' anything. Cheshire East have not actually 'done' anything.
The time for talking and thinking must come to an end sometime.
Of course, I cannot deny that all the parking problems arise because responsibility for enforcement was transferred from the Police to Macclesfield Borough Council approximately 5 years ago. It was obvious then that making cars move from parking in unenforced restricted areas would see them end up in residential streets - sadly no Councillor - either on CCC or MBC - was willing to wait for the work to be done to anticipate and find solutions to the parking problems that would inevitably ensue. I was the only Councillor who repeatedly voted for delay to allow this work to take place.
So come on CE. Don't let perfection be the enemy of the good, Let's see the implementation of resident's schemes for Lydiat Lane, Carlisle St, Clifton St and possibly Stevens St.
In any event - the first stage would be a consultation by CE for all affected residents.
I understand the need to ensure consultation with all interested parties but if the council's plan is to run a campaign so local businesses engage with their staff in this then I don’t hold out much hope for change. How long does that run for? What are the penalties for not playing the game? That’s not a plan; it’s a wish and a hope because I cant see any consequences for those not engaging.
In the meantime the residents still can’t park near their homes, put up with noise in the late evenings when visitors leave premises and wait on THEIR council taking real action.... looks like a long wait then unless they get serious about sorting this out.
Although I recognise that much of the content of this short presentation does not apply to Alderley Edge, I believe it may offer a possible structure and a number of focal points for present local discussion.
http://bit.ly/mn0PWE
Since then what has been done by the parish? Very little i think. Has Cllr Williamson read the proposal that Mike Taylorson and Michael Chapman had drafted on request and after meetings with the parish? Probably not!!!!
These two individuals have worked hard on producing a scheme that works with the residents and also the local traders by suggesting a mixed scheme with free 2 hour parking for visitors to the village to do their shopping. This proposal has also been discussed with James Howard at Cheshire East Council who has been told to stop what he is doing, even though he is in agreement with what they have suggested.
Surely we would be better running test cases to see how the schemes work as they have done in Wilmslow and introduce it bit by bit if it is needed, in the areas that have been suggested like Chorley Hall Lane, Blackshaw lane and Downsway where all the houses have driveways and i am sure the parking offenders would find that it is a little too far to walk and pay the £2.50 to use the local Car Park all day or even pay the £150 for a season ticket at the festival Hall.
How does the parish council intend to run a campaign to change the attitude of the employer, employees and the customers? Will people really turn up? in my view the answer will be NO and it will just waste valuable resources. How are they going to collate the information from businesses? Has any local business had anybody in from the parish council to discuss this? Which 8-10 businesses have they been too?
Do the parish need to be wasting police time when they have no say on parking and would much prefer to be out catching criminals and enforcing the law?
As a local resident, I am suggesting that everybody who is in favour of discussing the parking situation should attend the next Parish council meeting on the 18th July at the festival hall to consult with the local councillors about what they have done and what is going to be done about it!!!
There was a public consultation followed by a parking survey. There has been a public meeting,and they intend to run a campaign with the local press and police. They will be doing a proper assessment which will be a sophisticated and comprehensive survey, then there will be further debate. There will be a meeting with Cheshire East Officers this week and following this there will be further public consultation and discussions between councillors as to how to proceed, but at the moment activity has been suspended on the review.
All the residents of the affected streets want is a parking scheme. How much talking can we do and when will action take its place.
The only other councillor at that meeting was Frank Keegan who was investigating the idea of park and ride, as mentioned in his manifesto, but was not even aware that the 'park' site had already been sold !!
So who needs them and do these two speak on behalf of all the parish council?
Wilmslow managed their residents parking, hassle free, without a parish or town council so why don't they just leave James Howard to impliment this excellent and fair scheme.
By the way, one of the mentioned councillors had 3/5 vans parked outside his house for many months whilst his extention was being built, 'my' workman had to drop off his tools at my house and tour A/E for a parking spot.
Oh! and Jeffrey, please note that many critics get a lot done in this community without putting themselves forward for election, e.g Christine Munro. Frank Keegan has been on the P.C. for 25 years and Melanie has just gone back on, so..............
Why on earth are our public servants not taking this more seriously? Aside from the points already raised, including the very valid health and safety issue, have they considered they might be losing out on a potential revenue earner? The 'cuckoos in the nest' who park outside our houses, do it because they are too mean to stump up £2 per day. That being the case, why let them away with it? Take control of the situation!
What's the worst that can happen? Happy residents & more money (parking charges) in the coffers?
They are however all monitored before being published for obvious reasons - if you saw some of the posts which were submitted then you would understand why this is necessary.
There is only one comment to this story which has not been published and that is because we think the person hasn't used their real name.
Our policy is that people post using their real name because from our experience they can be more flippant when posting under a false name or initials. Whilst we appreciate this is not always the case we need to adopt the same policy across the board. This is a community website and therefore we request that our members take responsibility for their posts by using their real name.
I emailed the person yesterday straight after they posted their comment to this story and I have not received a response to my email so the comment has remained unpublished.
Judi Goodwin
Therefore, result of survey - number of residents parked outside their homes in that part of Lydiat Lane = zero. Number of vehicles not residents over that small part of Lydiat Lane = eight. Opportunity for any residents to park outside these properties right now, let’s see, oh, = Zero.
Apologies, for the flippancy in this but lots of hard detailed work has been carried out by some people giving up their time (not me I might add but I admire and support those that do so). They have taken a balanced view that has sought out the consensus of opinion from those it impacts on most, the residents, they have drawn up plans including how it would operate linking it to schemes already approved by East Cheshire Council and work perfectly well where already implemented.
How much talking and surveying does it take to see the blindingly obvious?
Mike W. stated at the public meeting, held some months ago, that he had failed to read Mike Taylorson's detailed proposal and that residents parking was nothing to do with the parish council, anyway.
His comments at that meeting failed to engender confidence or respect and he needs to keep away and let this well prepared scheme proceed as planned.
As mentioned by James Garrett, Carlisle Street, Lydiat Lane, Stevens Street and Clifton Street are all roads within close proximity to the village on which the majority of residents has no off street parking (and no facility to create off street parking). The roads that the councillors are so concerned about pushing the problem out to (which are further to walk to and therefore less likely to be affected) all have off street parking facilities and therefore would not suffer the same disruption. Why can't the Parish Council introduce the proposed scheme (which has been approved and commended by Cheshire East) and then monitor the effect on the streets which they are so worried about pushing the problem to? Surely measures such as double yellow lines can be implemented on those streets with relative ease and speed should they be required? Why must we spend several more months and years listening to alternative methods of solving the increasing problem when a simple solution is available?
The street has become a parking site for workers in the village and many of the culprits are not only parking inconsiderately but also dangerously, in a rush to park before they are late for work. Only the other day I witnessed a Nissan Micra being parked on the street adjacent to the elderly residents home. This is a public road that is used by drivers yet this person blocked the whole road for a full day.
On another occasion a middle aged woman driving a black BMW 3 series convertible bumped into both my car and a neighbours, forcing her car into a space too small. She walked off without leaving so much as a note. If it wasn't for someone on the street seeing it, the person would not have mentioned anything.
The sooner a scheme is put in place the better...
British Isles for many years so why are the Parish Council resisting a much
needed scheme in Alderley Edge when its residents are desperately calling
out for one?
Do they have a hidden agenda that the rest of us are unaware of?
On the surface it appears that they are merely indulging in a petty tantrum
that something in which they have held no part is proceeding without their
assistance.
“Councillor M H Williamson also cited the problem whereby people knowingly move to houses with no parking and then try to establish localised parking schemes which affect other parts of the village”
How does the councillor know this when no scheme is in place? And I like I am sure many people who live in these areas have been here of over 10 years!!! I guess it is like planning when one person in a road extends and then when someone else in the road try’s to do the same thing the person who got the planning objects!!!
Below is what Cheshire East say about resident’s parking schemes, so why is the parish trying to block them when we are perfectly within our right to apply for the introduction of a scheme and they are working just over a mile away in Wilmslow with no problems at all.
“Cheshire East Council is now able to offer permits for Residents Parking Schemes. Any scheme will always be introduced with full consultation of all the relevant people including residents and local businesses.
In many areas it is difficult for residents to park, due to long term parking by commuters, shoppers and visitors. The purpose of any scheme is to stop this and allow the spaces to be used mainly for the benefit of residents”
In a proposal put forward by Mike Taylorson and Michael Chapman, which I would still be intrigued to know if Mr Williamson had read? They have suggested a mixture of residents and shopper parking with a 2 hour limit instead of the one hour that is currently in the village to allow shoppers to be able to shop in the local area rather than go to areas like Handforth Dean where the parking is free, thus trying to help the shops in the village. The other option, I can see is to scrap all parking restrictions in the village and allow people to park all day in all roads around the village, however, I can’t see this happening.
So parish councillors, why don’t you let us know what is happening? By either posting on this forum or meeting with Lisa or maybe by even holding a public meeting in the festival hall?
I am sure that if we hear nothing then we will all be attending the parish meeting in July to find out what is happening.
To echo Mr. Garrett's comments, it would be helpful for member of the Parish Council to comment on this issue. There are a lot of people who would like to hear their response to the issues and concerns noted above.
The situation today is very different and we simply have to move with the times. If life is remain tolerable for those people who live here, residents' parking and other controls must be introduced and soon.
Let's have residents' parking is my own view; don't say the P. Council is against it, shout at C. East.
I have asked many people, in the village, what they want...some want residents' permit areas whilst others hate the idea...some want more yellow lines but others say 'no way'...some want longer parking times but some want shorter parking times... it damn well drives me mad!
We have nagged away at C. East to alter the parking time limits and to alter the speed limits.
We look hard for extra parking areas... the Festival Hall car park is never full (and the parking wardens, as far as I know, don't book you in there!) so use it?
Cllr. Williamson is not against residents' parking schemes but he has a point in saying that if all that does is push the problem onto some other street, it doesn't solve the problem. His 'conversations' with the restaurants etc. is partly to hope to persuade them to take on block booking for their staff at the Festival Hall and thus shift their cars out of the village.
We've given up trying to call out the police as its no longer their business. Our PCSO tries to move rubbish parkers along but he's only one person.
In the planning meetings we 'scream' at the C.East planners to insist on new developments/houses having to have parking spaces.
Oh and in case you see me as someone who hasn't experienced these problems; I live just off Lynton Lane and I occasionally wholeheartedly support a firing squad for those that double park there and stop me getting to my house!
And I don't have any damn hidden agenda either!
2. The PC has a strong infulence with CEC. Merely by expressing negativity James Howard and his CE officers will be put off from even considering resident's parking schemes.
The process in Wilmslow was a thorough review of parking by CEC followed by a consultation of all affected parties on the resulting proposals.
Alderley needs exactly the same process. Quite how members of the PC can express a view before CEC has come forwards with proposals and consulted on them leaves me at a loss.
Given the general shortage of resources we should all be pressing for the village parking review now, before funds run out and it becomes an impossible dream. Once we have some proposals and a consultation process completed, then we can go forwards with schemes that attract majority support.
It is essential to remember that most of those of us who live in the victorian streets came before decriminalisation. We were able to park near to our homes without difficulty. We are now affected by the displacement caused by decrim. We need help to deal with this problem that has been thoughtlessly inflicted upon us by the Borough and County Council.
How will the Parish Council help ?
Following the May local elections we have a single CE councillor, Frank - lets press the officers for the parking review that was planned long before the Bypass was completed.
Let's put Alderley First :-))
I would however encourage the Parish Council to be brave. Do nothing and you will be slated. Do something, with a bias towards residents and you will be heroes.
On reading on alderleyedge.com that ‘we’ need another consultation process I would cite 2 things:
The Parish Plan 2010 which commenced in 2007 with great effort from local, knowing volunteers acquired a huge amount of detail and put forward as part of its mission: “The aim of this Plan is to propose a number of practical steps desired by the people of Alderley Edge to protect and enhance our parish.” The Parish council now needs to be practical immediately to protect and enhance so why not do ‘what it says on the can?’
Secondly, Mike Taylorson has consulted widely on this, involving all affected by potential changes. He couldn’t have done more and the Council will never achieve this level of detail in such a period of time.
So when I read “The Parish Council is currently in the process of speaking with local businesses whom they expect to contribute to that consultation”, blood drains from every corpuscle. Why another consultation? The residents are clear. They’ve said it, re-affirmed by Mike. Just do it.
Another debate I know on the rights and wrongs but, as an example of how real change can happen, Waitrose are going from ‘zero’ to ‘operational’ in roughly 4 months. Yet we can’t take the first step on resident parking without another ‘focus group’?
For Mike W: Be brave, just introduce a local parking permit plan on 3 or 4 key streets for 12 months and if it doesn’t work then review it and change it. But please act now.
re. research/parking... I've lived in Alderley Edge for some 25 years and so I guess I'm as au fait with the subject of parking as most folks... I have recently spoken with a rep. of Lydiat Lane about their residents' parking idea and my advice was to contact C.East (Rod Menlove?) and find out whether the proposal for a residents' parking scheme there really has been 'blocked' and if so, who was it that blocked and if so get rid of the block.
Hi Mike,
I 've re-visited the Parish Plan... pages 16 - 18 deal with parking... the 9 'actions proposed' are: 2 identical ones have already been put in place (new-builds to have off road parking), 1 (enforcement of parking restrictions in evenings) is 'impossible' as the traffic wardens don't work evenings & the police ain't involved & our PCSO can't work 24/7. 1 says 'stop obstruction of residential streets' but doesn't suggest how, 2 are 'more parking on London Rd. & more medium term parking around the village but doesn't say where this can be created!,1 says alternatives to present inadequate provision' but doesn't suggest what alternatives. So not too much there alas?
I live near the village so I don't have a parking problem as I walk my fat-ass into the village; at 1.30 pm today there were a lot of vacant parking places at the Festival Hall (and its free!) which is nearer to the village that my house, so why won't people park at the Hall and walk into the village? The reason the Parish Council is speaking with local businesses is to try and persuade them to take block parking bookings at the Festival Hall, for their staff (days and/or evenings) so as to free up spaces in the village; come on, that's got to be a good thing?
The C.E. parking review should be completed soon...I understand that it has been delayed because of staffing matters. Do we have any choice but to await its publication?
Lastly... residents' parking schemes... I'm all for it... especially if its set up as a one year or two year trial rather than a once-in-place-is-for-ever thing.
Hi Marc... chelsea tractors indeed on Lynton Lane... I wonder if their drivers could be informed about the existence of rear view mirrors... I am surely large enough to be seen or were they trying to run me down? Are armed vigilante patrols legal nowadays?
Appreciate the clarification not least you highlighting that, in reality, the Plan was just neither realistic nor likely to be effective. If my failing memory is correct I did comment sometime during last year on the need for staff parking. These are people on very low incomes relative to the 'Alderley Edge spend profile' and need to be consulted and considered. They 'run' our village. But to continue to wait for a response we can all anticipate "We need far more staff parking in the village" isn't just a waste of time but lacks leadership.
My key point was a simple one: given how complex this appears to be and also the obvious conflicts in priorities that are in the Plan - you don't need to be a rocket scientist to see all of them - let's take a first step. Set up a trial resident scheme, review the impact on staff parking and visitors with a 'straw-poll' i.e. short but effective survey and then decide what the next step needs to be. By doing this, people will just have to adjust with 'block parking bookings at Festival Hall' more likely as the only alternative, viable option.
To quote someone far greater than you or I, albeit as a metaphor, and also someone who isn't a rocket scientist.............
"Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step."
Martin Luther King
1. I understand that the latest traffic/parking survey is complete (hooray)... where can you see it? Dunno! I haven't seen it yet... try Cheshire East?
2. My own opinion is that trialing a residents' permit scheme is a good idea, but its not up to me.
3. Perhaps I was a tad harsh re. the Parish Plan and parking BUT too often we get the 'something must be done' approach...yes we all agree... now the really hard part i.e. what to do!
4. There is some movement within the C.E. complex, to possibly hand over on-street parking to the parish Council... so maybe we can at last start to do what the people want...alas, we are still bound by the need for 'road traffic orders'... come back Alexander, we have a gordian knot to cut!
5. Parish Council had a 1.5 hour meeting with a CE Officer last night re. the devolution of powers from CE to P.Councils... that would clearly involve traffic/parking... end result was that CE have decided to move the goalposts again... back to square one?
6. You may have noticed guys in yellow tops doing a traffic count in the village yesterday... 9 of them, at 3 different sites... so soon we'll have figures to compare with the pre-bypass figures... my guess is that the new figures will show a great improvement in numbers/speed of traffic flow through the village... forgive my cynicism but at a meeting yonks ago (with the then MBC I think) I came to the opinion that the figures given back then were about as sound as a chocolate teapot!