Residents have welcomed proposals put forward by Cllr Steve Allsopp to make West Walcot a 20 MPH zone.
Since the start of the year local Councillors Steve, Abdul and Emma have held a series of meetings with Council Officers and Cabinet members to progress stalled plans to alleviate traffic and parking issues affecting the area. Councillors have shared residents’ frustrations at the lack of progress on plans but are now cautiously optimistic that progress is being made after public commitments were made in support of action by Cabinet Member for Parking at a meeting last week with the local MP.
Residents have welcomed proposals put forward by Cllr Steve Allsopp to make West Walcot a 20 MPH zone.
Since the start of the year local Councillors Steve, Abdul and Emma have held a series of meetings with Council Officers and Cabinet members to progress stalled plans to alleviate traffic and parking issues affecting the area. Councillors have shared residents’ frustrations at the lack of progress on plans but are now cautiously optimistic that progress is being made after public commitments were made in support of action by Cabinet Member for Parking at a meeting last week with the local MP.
At the meeting Cllr Allsopp proposed making Walcot West a 20 MPH Zone This would make the area safer, particularly around local schools, and ease the pressure on deteriorating road quality of Upham Road in particular. This proposal received universal support from the audience – which had been divided over solutions to the other parking and traffic problems suggested.
Cllr Allsopp said: “This has been a hugely complicated issue to resolve as there are several different parking and traffic problems in the area and the problems are moving and evolving. Some of the measures supported by residents to solve the problem of commuter parking, such as introducing residents parking or restricted waiting measures have proven to be unpopular with their neighbours. What we don’t want to do is implement changes which move the problem elsewhere or cause other issues in the future. It has been incredibly difficult to secure a consensus in favour of many previously tabled proposals. Whilst we realise proposals will not make everybody happy we want to get to get it right for as many people as possible. We appreciate the patience of residents while we have been working on this issue.”
Councillors are now waiting for technical plans and costings from Council officers for the 20 MPH proposal and other parking-alleviation options. We will continue to work with residents, officers, the Cabinet Member for Parking and the MP as we push this issue forward.
Councillors have also secured confirmation that despite delays, £25,000 of localities funding originally promised will be spent in Walcot West this year.
If you would like to make a comment on this issue please contact us:
emmabushell@yahoo.co.uk