Leicestershire County Council staff parking provides A50 'danger'
People living opposite County Hall said they do not like plans to stop staff parking outside their homes on the A50 dual carriageway.
They want all cars banned from what they say is their acceleration lane, claiming the parking makes it very dangerous for them drive in and out of their properties.
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Leicestershire County Council HQ
County Hall has decided, however, to install parking bays which limit parking to two hours for a six-month trial period. Extras parking spaces are also being provided at County Hall to reduce the need to park on the road.
However, a majority of the 50 households affected have signed a petition calling for double yellow lines to be painted outside their homes instead.
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Resident Annette Oliver said: "We handed a petition to the highways department at County Hall because we do not want the two-hour parking bays they have proposed.
"While many of their employees do park here all day, an increasing number come and go to meetings, or to drop off paperwork. As soon as a space is vacant, it is quickly filled.
"Whether cars are parked here for two hours or all day, we still face the same risks. There will be increased risks if there are more coming and going all day. This is why we want no-parking restrictions."
Her husband, Peter, said: "It is extremely dangerous as we have to back out between parked cars into traffic which is travelling at 50mph.
"Out of the 50 properties affected, 40 have signed the petition asking for no parking from 8am to 6pm on weekdays.
"We are having the bays – albeit for an experimental six-month period – but no action will be taken until they have their additional parking spaces on site.
"We could still be in the same position this time next year. Must we wait until someone is killed?"
County councillor for the area, Brian Page, said: "The proposal for the two-hour waiting-only is being introduced in April for a six-month pilot. This is so we see at how it works and if it needs tweaking.
"The residents do not want any parking. But the lane in question is a service lane which was installed to allow delivery vans and other vehicles to park temporarily.
"The two-hour option, was decided upon following a public consultation."
He said to ease the pressure of parking on the road the council was constructing additional onsite parking places for staff and visitors at County Hall.
A Leicestershire County Council spokesman said moves to resolve the parking issues included the extension of the 24-hour restrictions at the junction of Faire Road and the A50, and the implementation of two-hour parking restrictions on the third lane of the A50.
He said: "This scheme will be implemented at the same time a 186-space extension of the County Hall car park is opened in the spring. It will also coincide with a push to encourage staff to use our own car park."
He said the authority was trying to urge staff to think about alternative ways of getting to work.
3 Comments
by glenfield123
Sunday, February 17 2013, 4:29PM
“Comments like yours sansue make me mad!!. Have you have any idea what is going off along this road? Or are you one of the ignorant, and many illegally parked parkers?. Maybe you should come and try and get out of our driveways, then you would see for yourself that driving out of them is just as dangerous!!. When our view is blocked by the line of cars stretched up the road, you have to slowly pull out, with the front end of your vehicle well in to the road, with the traffic speeding past. Therefore making it not only dangerous for us and our passengers, but for cyclists and larger vehicles travelling down the road. Drivers that pull out of the Faire road junction still can't see. So you see sansue, driving out is still no option. As cjwilfy said. You can't just stop in the middle of the road, when there is a pile of traffic driving right behind you doing 50mph plus. We are all responsible and sensible drivers that live along this road. If we wasn't, there would of been more accidents by now. So talk sense sue!!. I'm fed up with people on here, nit picking at certain parts of peoples letters/comments, instead of reading the real reason the article was raised in the paper. Dangerous to us. Dangerous to pedestrains and any other road users. All because many of the council employee's can't be bothered to park in the FREE CARPARK and walk, unless they incapable of parking their cars into a space. I've seen how some of them park. I don't think many of them have actually passed their driving tests.”
by cjwilfy
Wednesday, February 13 2013, 9:33PM
“Us residents on the A50 cannot back onto our drives! To do so we would need the slip road, the very slip road which is being used as a mini car park each day by selfish and lazy employees from county hall parking. Are we meant to stop dead in 50mph traffic and the reverse into our drives. Im sorry but unless you live here and endure this day in day out your comments are not helpful. We dont reverse into 50mph traffic by choice, it is our only option. Factor in small children in the back of the car and this is a very serious issue that needs addressing.”
by sansue
Wednesday, February 13 2013, 12:19PM
“"Her husband, Peter, said: "It is extremely dangerous as we have to back out between parked cars into traffic which is travelling at 50mph"
Comments and actions like this make me so mad. Why on EARTH do people think it is better to back OUT of their off-road parking ONTO a fast flowing road than to back INTO their drive from the road so they are pointing the right way when they leave again?! It is SO dangerous to back out from a drive onto a fast flowing road yet the majority of people do it. BACK ONTO YOUR DRIVES!”