London Road Residents Parking Consultation

[The Large One]

This kind of follows on from the New Road thread.

Anyone else in central Brighton got a consultation paper about a proposed residents' parking scheme for Brighton? Specifically, it's supposed to be about easing parking congestion around London Road Station (as opposed to London Road - the consultation ame is a bit of a misnomer), and all its inherent knock on effects.

To that end, areas as far as Stanford Avenue in the north, to Park Crescent in the south, Beaconsfield Road in the west and the Mayo Road area in the east are having proposals to have residents only parking areas, combined with Pay & Display bays within those areas.

Residents should have got a consultation paper by now, but unfortunately the consultation details are not up on the City Council website.

So what do we reckon?

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Isn't there someone on here whose missus claims to run a school in the area?

 

[Lady Bracknell]

You're 'avin a larf, surely?

 

[surrey jim]

Got papers through my letterbox about the scheme even though the flats I live in have off street allocated parking. (Live on Upper Lewes Road)

Can just see people parking further out and walking home the last bit therefore meaning in a few years even further out will be permit parking

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Got papers through my letterbox about the scheme even though the flats I live in have off street allocated parking. (Live on Upper Lewes Road)

Can just see people parking further out and walking home the last bit therefore meaning in a few years even further out will be permit parking

If we're looking a few years ahead ... the other effect will be that all those householders in Stanford Avenue and Preston Drove will concrete over their front gardens to create car parking spaces for themselves.

 

[Seagull73]

As an ex-Shaftesbury Road resident - I can honestly say this is way overdue. I think going as far as Stamford Avenue is a bit steep, but all of the roads behind the Fire Station and around London Road station are just a joke (or they were 2 years ago).

I have a feeling most of the residents will be pleased.

 

[Deleted User X18H]

We have scenario around Preston Park actually I am all for residents parking.

 

[The Large One]

As an ex-Shaftesbury Road resident - I can honestly say this is way overdue. I think going as far as Stamford Avenue is a bit steep, but all of the roads behind the Fire Station and around London Road station are just a joke (or they were 2 years ago).

I have a feeling most of the residents will be pleased.

Most on the south side of the railway line will be.

What gets me is - where do the people who drive to park near London Road Station come from in the first place? Indeed, are they parking there sepcifically to be near the station - and if so, why are they not driving the whole way? Or are they parking there because it's the closest free parking area to the centre of the city?

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Maybe its just that some of residents who have a house have two cars? Or if a house is split into flats, then there's often multiple cars per house number. Don't take long for the available space to be used up and for the knock-on effects to ripple outwards. And some of the streets around London Road station have no off-street parking available. For many its on-street or nothing at all.

 

[The Large One]

Maybe its just that some of residents who have a house have two cars? Or if a house is split into flats, then there's often multiple cars per house number. Don't take long for the available space to be used up and for the knock-on effects to ripple outwards. And some of the streets around London Road station have no off-street parking available. For many its on-street or nothing at all.

That's precisely it.

When growing up in Shaftesbury Road in the 1970s, there were hardly any cars about, and most three-storey houses seemed to be inhabitated by one knackered old biddy with 50 cats, yellow fingers like spoons and the place stinking of humbugs and piss.

When they all died out, I think the Universities bought a load of properties in that road - mainly due to its proximity to London Road Station, with other places being split into small flat and maisonettes and sold to young first-time buyers - hence the extra cars. Combine that with commuters parking in the same street for the day, and you have street-blocking, double-parked chaos. And have had for about 25 years.

I rarely got to park outside my home there, and usually had to park two or three streets away - so 'something' has had to be done for quite a while.

Now I'm in Stanford Avenue, parking just isn't a problem. Although this new scheme has the potential to create one.

 

[Seagull73]

That's precisely it.

When growing up in Shaftesbury Road in the 1970s, there were hardly any cars about, and most three-storey houses seemed to be inhabitated by one knackered old biddy with 50 cats, yellow fingers like spoons and the place stinking of humbugs and piss.

When they all died out, I think the Universities bought a load of properties in that road - mainly due to its proximity to London Road Station, with other places being split into small flat and maisonettes and sold to young first-time buyers - hence the extra cars. Combine that with commuters parking in the same street for the day, and you have street-blocking, double-parked chaos. And have had for about 25 years.

I rarely got to park outside my home there, and usually had to park two or three streets away - so 'something' has had to be done for quite a while.

Now I'm in Stanford Avenue, parking just isn't a problem. Although this new scheme has the potential to create one.

Yeah I think including Stamford Avenue is completely unnecessary. The problem seems to stop about halfway along Southdown Avenue, so to stop it at say Grantham Road would probably be best.

It is a mixture of commuters working in London/Preston Road (the banks etc), and the fact that just about every house has been turned into 6 studio flats, with barely enough room to swing 1 cat, never mind 50. Factor in bloody stupid developments like the flats at the bottom of Springfield Road, with no allocation for parking at all (yes believe me it makes a difference), and the residents parking will be welcome, but won't solve all the problems.

 

[The Large One]

Yeah I think including Stamford Avenue is completely unnecessary. The problem seems to stop about halfway along Southdown Avenue, so to stop it at say Grantham Road would probably be best.

It is a mixture of commuters working in London/Preston Road (the banks etc), and the fact that just about every house has been turned into 6 studio flats, with barely enough room to swing 1 cat, never mind 50. Factor in bloody stupid developments like the flats at the bottom of Springfield Road, with no allocation for parking at all (yes believe me it makes a difference), and the residents parking will be welcome, but won't solve all the problems.

I can see why they've included Stanford Avenue. Because parking isn't a problem, mainly due to the fact that Blaker's Park being there means that there are fewer houses, so therefore fewer cars, effectively meaning a 'buffer zone' of parking. However, in pushing the commuters (those that don't want to pay) to north of this road, that's where the problems start where previously there were none.

The alternative to this scheme, says the council, is double yellow lines everywhere.

 

[Brovion]

I can see why they've included Stanford Avenue. Because parking isn't a problem, mainly due to the fact that Blaker's Park being there means that there are fewer houses, so therefore fewer cars, effectively meaning a 'buffer zone' of parking. However, in pushing the commuters (those that don't want to pay) to north of this road, that's where the problems start where previously there were none.

The alternative to this scheme, says the council, is double yellow lines everywhere.

And how will double yellow lines solve the problem? (Not having a go at you, just asking the question.) They could quite easily paint double-yellow lines up Ditchling Rise and all round Shaftsbury Avenue, but the lack of cars won't mean the problem has been 'solved', merely transferred. (This goes back to my earlier points about overall council policy being little more than trying to make things 'difficult' for car owners and hoping that the problem solves itself).

I'm all in favour of the scheme. As I said on the other thread I think all on-street parking in Brighton should be residents-only (or Pay and Display) and the permits should be progressively priced so that households with multiple cars pay more. If the scheme isn't city-wide then you'll always going to get problems at the boundaries as people go 'over the border' to get free parking. If the scheme is going up Stanford Avenue then we may suffer from this in Fiveways.

However like you I can't understand who the hell drives to London Road station? I often use it and even with two dodgy knees a bad back and a hernia I can walk up and down from Fiveways without any problem.

 

[stewardxxx]

I live along Upper Lewes Road and personally can't wait I will be more than happy to pay for a permit if it ensures i get to park the car near my house. The problem round my way I think is the amount of Students that have cars but also in the daytime people DO use the area as a car park before getting the bus into town - I am more than happy to pay th £106 for a permit!

 

[Westdene Seagull]

I live along Upper Lewes Road and personally can't wait I will be more than happy to pay for a permit if it ensures i get to park the car near my house. The problem round my way I think is the amount of Students that have cars but also in the daytime people DO use the area as a car park before getting the bus into town - I am more than happy to pay th £106 for a permit!

To be fair, if the parking schemes are such a fantastic solution then the parking permits should be free with your council tax bill. The costs of implementation and running should be recouped from pay and display NOT the residents. But of course it's a convienient ruse on behalf of the council to increase it's revenue stream.

 

[Deleted User X18H]

Residents parking kicks off in The Drove , Hampstead Road ,Reigate Road ,Kingsley Road, Scarbrough Road Tivoli Road and Robertson Road areas next month.

Not sure about Clermont Road !!??

 

[Brovion]

To be fair, if the parking schemes are such a fantastic solution then the parking permits should be free with your council tax bill. The costs of implementation and running should be recouped from pay and display NOT the residents. But of course it's a convienient ruse on behalf of the council to increase it's revenue stream.

What's wrong with the Council using parking permits as a revenue stream? I do think the council's attitiude to private cars is wrong, they see them as a nuisance to be controlled whereas they should see them as a resource to be exploited. And yes I'd happily pay for a permit.

 

[keaton]

I think they should copy the scheme they use on one half of Cumberland Road by Preston Park station. No cars are allowed to be parked there from 12.00-13.00 every week day

 

[Badger]

I live on Park Crescent and I think this is a good idea, I do have an off street parking space but we have had 2 cars sharing this one space and finding somewhere else can be an absolute nightmare at times. I've spent over half an hour just driving around trying to find somewhere legal to park within walking distance.

 

[The Large One]

And how will double yellow lines solve the problem? (Not having a go at you, just asking the question.) They could quite easily paint double-yellow lines up Ditchling Rise and all round Shaftsbury Avenue, but the lack of cars won't mean the problem has been 'solved', merely transferred. (This goes back to my earlier points about overall council policy being little more than trying to make things 'difficult' for car owners and hoping that the problem solves itself).

I'm all in favour of the scheme. As I said on the other thread I think all on-street parking in Brighton should be residents-only (or Pay and Display) and the permits should be progressively priced so that households with multiple cars pay more. If the scheme isn't city-wide then you'll always going to get problems at the boundaries as people go 'over the border' to get free parking. If the scheme is going up Stanford Avenue then we may suffer from this in Fiveways.

However like you I can't understand who the hell drives to London Road station? I often use it and even with two dodgy knees a bad back and a hernia I can walk up and down from Fiveways without any problem.

In answer to your first question, it won't. I think it's the council's way of saying 'this is what you'll get if you piss about with us.' We all know what a 'consultation' really means. Whether there's scope for minor alterations to the plan, I don't know.

Although there is a bit of a 'free parking' buffer up the side of Blaker's Park, once that is filled up, it's Preston Drove and your area that will suffer, which was why I was a bit surprised that you agree with this particular scheme.