Agenda item

Petitions

To receive any petitions on traffic management matters submitted in accordance with the Sub-Committee’s Terms of Reference.

Minutes:

(a)     Petitions in respect of De Beauvoir Road and Wrenfield Drive

The Executive Director for Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report on the receipt of two petitions asking the Council:

  • To change the parking restrictions on De Beauvoir Road, Reading, to ‘13R permits only’;
  • For a double yellow line to be installed between 18 and 45 Wrenfield Drive, Caversham.

Petition in respect of De Beauvoir Road

The report explained that the petition had been received by the Council on 30 December 2019 and contained 35 signatories.  The lead petitioner had provided the following background information to the petition:

Currently the parking restrictions on De Beauvoir Road are ‘13R permits only or 2 hours free parking, with no return within 2 hours.’ Due to reasons listed below, the parking restrictions on De Beauvoir Road are no longer fit for purpose and is causing a negative impact on the local residents, which the system is designed to protect:

·      Parking is restricted to one side of the road only. However, there is a large number of residents along the street due to terraced housing on both sides of the street.

·         Parking spaces are used by people stopping to shop in the Cemetery Junction area. The big issue is Tesco Express (1-4 London Road) just around the corner from De Beauvoir Road, where parking spaces on De Beauvoir Road are used continuously for those stopping for a quick shop, which significantly reduces the amount of spaces available for local residents. When a space becomes available it is filled very quickly by the next person popping in to the shops. This means that residents are forced into parking a few streets away due to the lack of availability.

·         De Beauvoir Road is a busy road which is used as a regular rat-run for traffic when the London Road is busy. Consequently, this means parking spaces are used more regularly than neighbouring streets because of the busy nature of the road.

·         Introduction of additional parking restrictions in the Redlands area has pushed more temporary parking back onto the street.

·         Families and young professional residents are turned away from living along the street due to the lack of parking. This is something that myself and neighbours have seen first-hand on a number of occasions’.

At the invitation of the Chair the petition organiser, Kit Brash, addressed the Sub-Committee on behalf of the petitioners.

The Sub-Committee discussed the report and agreed that Carnarvon Road and Junction Road should be included in the officers recommendations that would be submitted to the March 2020 meeting.

Petition in respect of Wrenfield Drive, Caversham

The report explained that the petition had been received by the Council on 6 January 2020 and contained 13 signatories.  The lead petitioner had provided the following background information to the petition:

‘The section of road that we are requesting DYL is at the very end of the cul-de-sac in the turning circle. The turning circle has been used for many years by residents for parking on two sides (as in the aerial view taken from Google Maps below). Until recently, it was very seldom that cars would be parked at the end of the turning circle, where we are now requesting DYL and there was never really a problem.

However, over the past year or so, there has been regular parking on all three sides of the turning circle – thus making it very difficult for cars to use the turning circle and for residents to access driveways.’

Resolved –

(1)     That the report be noted;

(2)     That the contents of the petitions be considered and officer recommendations submitted to the March 2020 meeting;

(3)     That with regard to the petition in respect of De Beauvoir Road, Carnarvon Road and Junction Road be included in officer recommendations submitted to the March 2020 meeting;

(4)     That the lead petitioners be informed accordingly.

Supporting documents: