SOUTHEND/WESTCLIFF: Plan to ease parking problems around hospital
Wednesday August 18 2010 - Last Updated at 10:15
Residents living close to Southend University Hospital are set to benefit from a new parking management scheme (PMS) aimed at tackling problems caused by inconsiderate motorists. The scheme, devised by Southend-on-Sea Borough Council in partnership with the hospital, was provisionally approved by residents following a consultation exercise last year. It was drawn up to combat problems caused by drivers who regularly parked on grass verges and across driveways in the streets surrounding the hospital. The new scheme is due to go back to local residents for formal consultation in the next few weeks and, if approved, will come into force on April 1, 2011. The proposed PMS will be in operation from 9am to 4pm on Mondays to Fridays and feature a mixture of resident-only, permit only, pay-and-display and 30-minute ‘no return’ bays. Permits will cost local residents £10-a-year with a £5 administration fee. Anyone whose permanent address is in the PMS area and who owns a car, small van or motorbike can apply. Residents will also be entitled to apply for a visitor permit which friends and family will need to display in their vehicles if they visit during PMS hours. Local businesses will be able to purchase permits allowing them access to special ‘permit only’ parking bays and some designated short-stay parking is being provided near to local shops. Mark Flewitt, Executive Councillor for Planning & Transport, told longpier.com: “This parking management scheme will greatly benefit residents living near the hospital. “Great pressure has been put on the availability of parking for local people due to hospital staff and visitors, commuters and visitors to the town who leave their cars in the area all day. “There have also been problems with inconsiderate motorists parking on grass verges and across people’s driveways. “The Council cannot create more space to park cars in the area but the proposed parking management scheme will give residents, businesses and their visitors priority. “This in turn will lead to safer roads through the removal of inconsiderate and dangerous parking and a cleaner, healthier environment through the restricted use of vehicles in the area.” Jan China, associate director of estate development at Southend University Hospital, added her support to the scheme. She said: “We work hard to build up a good relationship with our neighbours around the hospital site and have been aware of difficulties caused by inconsiderate parking. “We are therefore pleased that this scheme has met with their initial approval and hope that it will alleviate problems in the future.” WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PLANS? LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW AND JOIN THE DEBATE.
This is all fair and well, but I think they need to sort out parking from another perspective. My Mum took me to a&e last week because I’d injured my ankle and had to park in the drop off bays, risking a fine. The only other spaces were so far away and I couldn’t walk. The people at the a&e desk said that nobody was allowed to push my wheelchair into the hospital, so if we had parked far away, my Mum would’ve had to leave my two brothers (under 2 years) out of sight and unsupervised for however long. I can understand why there’s such a problem when it could often be someones only choice.
All very well…But why should I have to pay to park outside MY OWN house?
I do agree there is a major problem with parking here (Carlton Avenue), but the majority off “offenders” are staff that work at the hospital and not the visitors. So yet again..why should I have to pay to park outside my own house?? Should the hospital not pay for the residents to get a permit?
Regards,
Jessika
This is an ongoing problem with no real clear solution in sight.
I don’t like the ‘language that the council is using. I, for one, am not happy that I have to pay to park outside my own home. This is not a problem caused by myself nor the local residents…it’s the problem for the hospital.
Should they not address this issue directly?
Should they not budget for this?
The new car park they’ve built always seems half full, why not provide free parking for patients and relatives.
As for staff parking, they have a ‘park-n-ride’ solution in place, why is this not working?
How much thought has gone into this? It seems that the council also wish to penalised parents that have little choice but to drive to pick up their children from schools local to here. Should the council not provide a time slot for this? (i.e. 15-30mins free parking). Brentwood runs this scheme in certain areas and it works!
My guess is that the council will do as it pleases and when all is said and done we will have parking bays that will steadily go up in price (with the local streets awash with ‘parking wardens’ clambering to meet their quotas)…all in the name of safety and fairness of course(!)
By all means, provide parking bays but don’t even think about charging us for the pleasure!
(BTW. When is the next meeting taking place? I feel a fight coming on).
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This is an ongoing problem with no real clear solution in sight.
I don’t like the ‘language that the council is using. I, for one, am not happy that I have to pay to park outside my own home. This is not a problem caused by myself nor the local residents…it’s the problem for the hospital.
Should they not address this issue directly?
Should they not budget for this?
The new car park they’ve built always seems half full, why not provide free parking for patients and relatives.
As for staff parking, they have a ‘park-n-ride’ solution in place, why is this not working?
How much thought has gone into this? It seems that the council also wish to penalised parents that have little choice but to drive to pick up their children from schools local to here. Should the council not provide a time slot for this? (i.e. 15-30mins free parking). Brentwood runs this scheme in certain areas and it works!
My guess is that the council will do as it pleases and when all is said and done we will have parking bays that will steadily go up in price (with the local streets awash with ‘parking wardens’ clambering to meet their quotas)…all in the name of safety and fairness of course(!)
By all means, provide parking bays but don’t even think about charging us for the pleasure!
(BTW. When is the next meeting taking place? I feel a fight coming on).
How about a patient park and ride scheme using the old Access car park at Warners bridge? Also encourage the staff to use the car park that was built for them. If it is not being used fully by staff then let patients use it too. Also if residents parking is introduced let them have it for free, the council can soon recoup the extra costs incurred by sending a traffic warden up and down the nearby roads every day.