Call for urgent meeting about 'hazardous' parking

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Following the installation of double yellow lines on Congleton Road, Alderley Edge Parish Council has called for an urgent meeting with officers of Cheshire East Council (CEC).

Since the Council arranged for the lines to be painted last month, from the junction with Chorley Hall Lane to the entrance to the De Trafford Arms car park, cars have started parking further up the hill where there are double white lines in the centre of the road.

Cllr Mike Williamson, Chairman of Alderley Edge Parish Council, said "We have asked for an urgent meeting with a highways officer to review the parking situation on Congleton Road which is still extremely hazardous. Obviously we're very pleased that we have the double yellow lines painted but if they'd actually come and looked at the circumstances they'd have realised that what they've done doesn't solve the problem but just moves it further up Congleton Road.

"People are parking illegally on the road where there is a solid white line to restrict overtaking. I believe our PCSO has been issuing penalty notices because the cars are causing obstruction but I don't know how often he is doing that. So we asked for an officer to come out and have a look at this to review it."

Cllr Williamson added "I am still a little nervous about Cheshire East's understanding of the circumstances, the trouble is the officers are very often so remote from the issues they are dealing with that unless they actually come out and look at what's going on that they are making decisions in a vacuum.

"My understanding is that Cheshire East has no powers because people are not parking on double yellow lines, what they are doing is an offence under the Road Traffic Act which is for the police to enforce.

"Obviously Jim (PCSO Newns) can go out every day and issue penalty notices on every car that's parked there. I think he is trying to be constructive and he is putting warning notices on, perhaps he is only ticketing repeat offenders, I don't know but I've suggested to the CEC officer that we meet with the police at the same time."

Cllr Mike Williamson also spoke about the Alderley Edge Parking Review which was carried out by Cheshire East Council last year.

He said "A report was published by an officer called Paul Burns in 2011 and has been in place for over year. So far the element Cheshire East have acted on has been the residential parking schemes on Lydiatt Lane, Carlisle Street and Clifton Street. That work was undertaken a couple of weeks ago.

"So the next stage is to come to the village and renew all the painting on the road for parking spaces, renew the one ways signs on various one way streets and enact the changes we agreed to do with the parking restrictions on various streets in the village, to do with the agreement we had which was one hour waiting on London Road, one hour waiting in the spaces immediately off London Road, in Clifton Street and Stevens Street for example. But then further back from London Road all parking restrictions should be two hours and the guys know at Cheshire East that the money has been put aside for that, that is in the works programme.

"We don't have a date yet but it will happen before the end of the financial year so we have gone back to Paul Burns to ask for some information about when they will be doing the work and what sort of information will be given to the public as obviously they will need to close off streets, restrict parking when they come to do the painting so there will disruption."

I have sent several requests to Cheshire East Coucil over the past couple of months about the Alderley Edge Parking Review, asking when the recommendations in the report will be implemented. I will publish further information when received.

Tags:
Cheshire East Council, Parish Council, Parking
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Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

Ray Tarr
Tuesday 13th November 2012 at 3:08 pm
I agree we have some major issues with parking in the Village and noted a number of topics relating to this over the last few months. Unless somthing is done quickly, it is potentially a fatal accident waiting to happen; Not only Congleton Road - Take Ryleys Lane and Eaton Drive - Cars parked on the corner of Eaton Drive and Ryleys Lane blocks my view to the main Road every morning.

What happened to the Highway Code - not parking on a Corner and obstructing motorists views to oncoming traffic?
Gillian Martin
Tuesday 13th November 2012 at 4:19 pm
And Moss Lane at the junction with Trafford Road - the double yellow lines don't stretch far enough, and drivers have to pull on to the right-hand side of the road to exit Moss Lane, on a blind corner.
Graham McLelland
Tuesday 13th November 2012 at 4:28 pm
I agree with the last two comments but would also include Heyes Lane ,on the bends, by the old Library, and School Lane both dangerous
Pamela Scoltock
Tuesday 13th November 2012 at 11:48 pm
We are having the same problem with vehicles parking at the top of Macclesfield road on the brow of the hill coming down into the village. Our problem are contractors employed at Armstrong Farm blocking all the Road from the brow of the hill down past Woodbrook Road, blocking residents from exiting and entering their driveways safely . This is definitely an accident waiting to happen. The police have been up to speak to the contractors but nothing changes.
Neil Stelling
Wednesday 14th November 2012 at 2:00 pm
I just cycled up that hill, and cannot believe how dangerous this situation is ! Cars are parked right up to just below the brow of the hill. So traffic coming from direction of congleton at 40mph will come over the hill, and suddenly find they must move across a white line into the middle of the road to avoid the parked cars. If something big is coming up the hill at 40mph and filling the other lane...
Brian Etchells
Friday 16th November 2012 at 7:04 am
22 vehicles, I assume mostly contractors, were parked in the pavement of Macclesfield Road coming down the hill from The Wizard yesterday (and most week days). The road was virtually one way traffic, with no traffic lights. Somebody, is going to get hurt if nothing is done about this. I thought it was illegal to park in a way that restricts the movement of traffic.