Cars parking along Jenner Road on the approach to one of the staff entrances to the James Paget Hospital in Gorleston.
Picture: James Bass
Crackdown begins on problem parkers in Gorleston
Lucy Clapham
Friday, October 5, 2012
8:13 AM
THE war on fare-dodging motorists who clog up roads surrounding the James Paget Hospital has started with plans to lay down double yellow lines in jam-packed streets.
Residents have become increasingly frustrated by the number of cars being left near their homes by drivers who want to avoid the fees in the hospital’s car park, and have been pushing for years for measures to be put in place to move them out of their roads.
And their calls have now been answered as the borough council has announced action is being taken in the “fire fight” against problem parkers.
Double yellow lines are set to be laid along the length of Jenner Road, Paget Crescent and Barnard Close with seven day week restrictions.
The news came at Tuesday’s Gorleston Area Committee meeting when chairman and borough council leader Trevor Wainwright updated residents about the situation.
He said the work to put the lines in place is hoped to be “fast tracked” as money for their installation has already been set aside.
“There’s funding available to put these in place as Persimmon Homes (who built many of the properties in the affected roads) have lodged £5,000 with the county council and the James Paget has also offered £5,000 to put these traffic regulations in place,” he added.
“The hold up comes when there’s no funding. Regulations in Gresham Close took three to four years to come to fruition but because there’s funding available a county council officer seems to think this can be fast tracked.”
Despite action finally being taken Mr Wainwright admitted the work was an initial battle in an ongoing war, as he expected the lines would push the problem parkers into surrounding roads.
He said: “What we’re trying to do is pick off one bit at a time but we’re determined to try and sort out the other problems as well.
“We know what happens; you put double yellow lines down somewhere and push the problems elsewhere. It’s a very difficult situation to address but we’re doing our best.”
Fellow councillor Brian Walker supported his position and added: “It would be hopeless trying to cover the whole area in one hit.
“The first was Jenner Road, which seemed to be the worst effected. We’re in a position where we have just got to fire fight each spot.”
The lines will carry restrictions seven days a week from 7.30am - 6pm but will only be put in place if a majority of residents vote for them in a consultation.
Residents at the meeting welcomed the action and hoped their neighbours would vote in favour of the lines.
Alan Poole, 48, who lives on the estate, said: “On a housing estate like that or anywhere around the hospital you’re never going to solve the problem in one go.
“We have got to start somewhere.”
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10 comments
Pay your car tax,park where you like.Just as long as it's not dangerously positioned.NIMBYism again with the folk who paid alot of money for closely crammed in housing.haha.
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wes1975
Sunday, October 7, 2012
We have the yellow lines in other parts of Gorleston and it doesnt make any difference - people still park on them and on the pavements so they dont have to pay to park to go to the high street shops. If there's no one to enforce the double yellow lines they arent going to solve problem parkers. So what will happen when the hospital car park is full? The hsoptial needs a bigger car park and lower charges
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Mrs Meldrew
Friday, October 5, 2012
Noah - You need to read my comment as a whole, not in part. Perhaps for clarity I should have added the words, "as it used to be." It still doesn`t change things. Enforcement of the lines is not going to be done as you wish it to be.
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BG
Friday, October 5, 2012
BG - When the word police is used as a verb , as in my comment , it's meaning is to control , regulate or administer - nothing to do with a police force.Take a look in your dictionary , if you have one.
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Colonel Grumpfuttock-Horseposture (retired)
Friday, October 5, 2012
Noah Vale - Even more bad news I am afraid! Parking enforcement is now the responsibility of local authorities, not the police. I think I am right in saying that there are only 13 enforcement officers for the whole of the county so your wish for the lines to be stringently policed is really a non starter.
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BG
Friday, October 5, 2012
Now when can we see some lines being put down in Bradwell, especially along Mill Lane, Bradwell Avenue, Crab Lane (by the shops and the allotments) ?
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"V"
Friday, October 5, 2012
Double yellows is not the answer - what is needed is permit parking , even blue badge holders cannot abuse permit parking restrictions.In any event,whichever solution is chosen, needs to be stringently policed.
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Colonel Grumpfuttock-Horseposture (retired)
Friday, October 5, 2012
There is absolutely on point in just putting double yellow lines down. Many people visiting the JPH are likely to be the holder of a Blue Badge and any vehicle containing the holder of a Blue Badge can park quite legitimately on double yellow lines. Providing of course that they are parked in such a way that does not cause an obstruction. The only way to stop this happening is to add to the parking order a ban on loading or unloading during certain hours of the day. Which might not go down too well with those living in the areas affected as delivery vehicles will also be banned from parking on the double yellow lines.
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BG
Friday, October 5, 2012
I must agree there is definately not enough parking space at James Paget Hospital. When visiting I have driven round and around the car park for 15-20 minutes until someone leaves and I have the chance to nip into the space.
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Christopher Neave
Friday, October 5, 2012
An answer to this may be to force James Paget managers to recognise they are at fault-to make them remove the unnecessary baulks of grass and shrubs from their car park creating more space and to cut or do away with parking fees.I believe it is a deliberate falsehood to say that all the drivers parking in near by roads are avoiding the fees-even though they are pretty punitive for those visiting relatives and especially for those using outpatients clinics where no parking pass is given. It is clear to anyone who has had a clinic appointment which coincides with peak visiting time that there simply are not enough spaces- some people are parking elsewhere because they cannot park on the car parks. Before any one jumps in saying take a bus, James Paget serves a large rural area, as well as Lowmouth. It takes an hour on a good day to travel by bus from the edge of the built up north of Yarmouth, never mind from places like Horsey and Martham. It is absurd that a hospital, which will have arriving and leaving inpatients and outpatients who may not be well enough to use a bus and will have employees whose place of residence and working hours could rule out using public transport should not provide enough car parking for legitimate users.
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Daisy Roots
Friday, October 5, 2012