Petition calls to end commuter parking misery for Leighton Buzzard residents
Commuter parking in streets near Leighton Buzzard Railway Station is making life ‘hell’ for residents, a meeting heard.
An 82-signature petition is asking for 24-hour residents’ permit parking on Southcourt Avenue, Southcourt Road and Barnabas Road.
It calls for parking restrictions to be adopted which are in use on other nearby roads already, according to the petition published in a Central Bedfordshire Council traffic management meeting agenda.
Several of these have a ‘two-hour maximum stay, no return within two hours’ restriction in place, with exemption for vehicles displaying a valid residents’ permit, it added.
Petitioner Simon representing residents of Southcourt Avenue and Southcourt Road submitted the request for permit parking “in our streets for parity with all the other roads” locally.
“Despite being the closest road to the station, Southcourt Avenue has minimal restrictions,” he said. “Our road provides a perfect spot for people to leave their vehicles all day and night, free of charge. It causes serious problems for those that live there and makes our lives hell.
“Southcourt Road and Southcourt Avenue make the ideal car park, as the restrictions are finished by 11am. On a daily basis, parts of the road are jam packed with vehicles, which blocks sight lines for motorists and pedestrians.
“Children are the most vulnerable, and parents are rightly concerned as a lower school is round the corner. The road becomes a default station car park.
“Vehicles are parked nose to tail along both roads, on bends, across junctions, driveways and pedestrian crossings, and block bus stops.”
Independent Leighton Linslade West councillor Russ Goodchild explained: “It’s a problem residents in the centre of Linslade have endured for many years.
“This will hopefully strengthen the case for a more efficient parking control regime. It should also discourage commuter parking in these residential roads and cul-de-sacs, as well as prevent the current level of dangerous and obstructive parking.”
Independent Leighton Linslade West councillor Victoria Harvey warned: “The danger is huge.
“There were plans in 2019 to proceed with an area-wide parking strategy. That was before Covid happened and then a highways staff member left and the whole idea was dropped.
“If a residents’ parking zone isn’t accepted, I would seriously beg we come up with something to help everyone there.”
Highways officers suggested replacing the current signage on the three streets to also cover Saturday and Sunday would be the first step.
The meeting was told that “implementing double yellow lines for junction protection to support safety” could also be considered.
Executive member for highways and Independent Aspley and Woburn councillor John Baker, who chairs the meeting, said: “We’ve a high barrier to implementing residents’ parking zones, with 60 to 80 per cent of households needing to agree.
“I’d invite ward members to work with officers in reviewing the current restrictions, as to whether we should include Saturday and Sunday, and the times involved before we jump to a residents’ parking zone. Let’s find out what’s going to work.”