Local Councillors Abdul, Steve and Emma met with Council officers last week in a bid to move Walcot West traffic proposals forward.
We expect residents to receive consultation letters in the coming weeks on the following proposals agreed at this meeting:
Cllr Steve Allsop proposed making Walcot West 20 MPH zone at a public meeting at Lainesmead School in April and this received almost universal support from residents in attendance. As well as increasing the safety of children travelling to the three schools in the area, this was felt to provide a solution to other traffic safety issues raised historically raised by residents such as poor visibility caused by cars parked on corners and junctions.
In addition it will provide a measure of relief to long-suffering residents of Upham Road by reducing the vibrations caused by heavy vehicles, while councillors continue to campaign for a long-tem solution to the problem.
Proposals to introduce Limited Waiting in Alvescot Road, Norton Grove, Bampton Grove and Langford Grove originate from residents’ concerns about commuter parking in the area and resulting consultation exercises in the last few years. Because the results of the consultation process did not show clear support for the schemes proposed it has proved extremely challenging to find a solution to this problem. Due to consultation responses from local residents, Burford Avenue has had to be removed from the original proposals. The Limited Waiting proposals would follow a “Lakeside Model” which prevents cars being parked between 10.00am -12.00, Monday to Friday. This model is designed to prevent commuter parking while allowing for parking for residents’ visitors and carers.
In addition, some residents in the Upham Road and Salcombe Grove area will receive letters consulting on proposals to alleviate possible pressure on parking from the PlayFootball development at Churchfields School. The proposal is to introduce waiting restrictions in some parts of Salcombe and Upham Road. These proposals are, however, dependent on £5,000 of traffic-alleviation money from the developers secured by local councillors as a planning condition of the Playfootball Development.
We understand that not all the measures proposed do not have universal support in the areas affected and urge all residents to respond to the consultation letters to ensure their views are heard.
We also caution residents, that despite public promises made to residents by Conservative politicians at April’s meeting, we understand that there are still questions to be resolved over the financing of the proposals and that this may further delay progress.
We would like to once again thank residents for their patience while local councillors work with residents to ensure measures are