Piecemeal parking plans

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Rye Town Council is starting to want an overall parking plan for the whole town after Monday’s two hour long Zoom meeting of councillors and residents affected by the County Council’s latest proposals to extend parking controls to some more roads in Rye.

The word used most often in the discussion was “displacement” which simply means that, if new parking controls are introduced, the motorist just moves to somewhere else where there are not any controls or charges – yet – such as Valley Park off the Udimore Road!

Parking controls also involve a number of considerations including

  • the ability of motorists to provide their own parking spaces ;
  • the number of cars in use per property ;
  • the number of cars coming to Rye (and why) that need parking spaces ;
  • and the impact of parking on traffic movement, so an over-view is always needed suggested a number of residents and councillors.

It was also clear that the provision of paid for parking spaces and car parks, said a number of speakers, did not necessarily mean that people would use them, and some motorists would continue to look for any available free parking.

Another factor in arriving at any decisions is that the County Council is the highways authority with responsibility for parking controls on most roads, except major “A” roads – and its latest limited review just covers possible new controls in the Military Road, Grove and Love Lane areas; along with some adjustments to existing parking restrictions.

The Grove and Love Lane

Residents thought these proposals could lead to their driveways being blocked as well as preventing new driveways being provided to get cars off the road, and the proposals had not been justified to residents. Town councillors said the plans were ridiculous and perplexing, while Rother councillor, Howard Norton, said he did not know why this was happening, and there seemed to be general agreement that these proposals should be put back until the next parking review.

Military Road and the “big picture”

There was also general agreement that parking displaced from the High Street, as well as  travellers from the station, and those renting holiday lets, had resulted in even more “free” parking in the Military Road area. Cllr Rebekah Gilbert said that the problem needed urgent attention. But the devil was in the detail, though most (councillors and residents) agreed any parking controls should extend right up to the town boundary and there was agreement that some visitor parking was needed in the area.

Cllr Shaun Rogers asked where the motorists displaced from Military Road would then go, and pointed out they were here on holiday, or visiting friends, or for work and the situation could just get worse and worse if random parking was displaced all over Rye.

One of the Military Road residents then stressed that just looking at bits of the town can be very divisive, and there was a need to look at a comprehensive town wide plan – “a community based approach rather than the County Council’s piecemeal Mickey Mouse approach.”

Cllr Mike Boyd said the town should insist on a public meeting for the next parking review; local resident Peter Savory said “We have to look at the bigger picture”; and Cllr Sue Learoyd Smith said a better process was needed to tackle parking issues.

Mobility issues and the Landgate

The town councillors were unclear about some of the proposals involving mobility spaces in the High Street, but the general principles were agreed. Councillors were, however, very clear about the Landgate issues, and wanted better lane marking as well as a parking bay removed which could cause traffic problems and actually encouraged dangerous parking.

Harbour Road

Parking controls here were welcomed though and councillors actually wanted them extended; they also agreed the need for a loading bay in Cinque Ports Street near the Bargain Box and the charity shops.

Cllr Cheryl Creaser then argued that an overall approach and consistency was needed on parking issues, but Cllr Jo Kirkham said that would need detailed discussion on another occasion. But there was clearly unhappiness at the County Council’s piecemeal approach which could just lead to parking being displaced to another part of the town and the mayor, Cllr Andi Rivett closed the meeting by saying “There is still clearly lots to do.”

 

Image Credits: Rye News library .

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4 COMMENTS

  1. The suggestion of a Rye town public meeting for the next parking review is a good suggestion and I am very much in agreement with this; after all the parking problem does and will affect all of us at some point in time, so lets be proactive and constructive. Rye council could consider setting up small meetings with residents of Rye at first then feed the output from these small meetings into the larger proposed public meeting? – Bur we do urgently need some sort of parking control!

  2. If there’s “clearly lots to do” can we assume that the much needed parking restrictions on the harbour road won’t be happening anytime soon, as the only route to the industrial area and not forgetting the bird reserve which has created even more traffic.
    No housing or pubs but a very dangerous piece of road and a serious accident waiting to happen.

  3. To put the record straight the residents of The Grove did NOT say that they were concerned that their driveways could be blocked and would not be able to provide extra driveways. The several Grove residents who took part in the meeting actually pointed out that the proposed changes would prevent residents/family/friends/carers etc from parking over their own driveways (proposal is for 24 hr no parking ban over all driveways by anyone) and would also result in parking their cars at considerable cost (approx £1,300 per year) outside their own houses. There is no provision in the proposal for residents permits. The alternative stated by one resident would be that residents would have to concrete over their front gardens to provide additional provision for their family cars (not all houses have that option). It was a couple of the councillors who said that displacement from potential changes in Military Road may result in cars blocking resident’s driveways. The residents have so far not had a problem with this following the CPE brought in for the town centre. The residents are mystified as to why The Grove and Love Lane have been included in these proposals. The residents have seen the ESCC Parking Services CPE review/consultation summary document and The Grove is not mentioned at all and Love Lane has a comment that residents parking permits had been mentioned but there was not enough support and no changes were going to be put forward. The section of the document which states which ideas/proposals should go forward mentions neither road. The residents are still awaiting a satisfactory answer from ESCC Parking Services as to why these roads have been included although the informal consultation period finished on the 12th (yesterday).

  4. I would recommend a public meeting. RTC should organise and invite relevant parties and in the near future rather than waiting weeks or months.
    No one seemed to have mentioned Gibbets marsh car park which is reduced to £2.

    The reason it is little used? There are no signs from either direction coming into Rye and then a sign showing the walk into Rye from the car park
    Tourists get frustrated driving round and actually go into private car parks out of frustration.

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