Agenda item

Spennymoor - Parking and Waiting Restrictions Order 2018 - Report of Corporate Director of Regeneration and Local Services

Minutes:

The Committee considered a report of the Corporate Director of Regeneration and Local Services regarding a scheme to:

 

·         introduce and amend parking restrictions on Holborn Street to regulate parking and improve accessibility;

·         amend time limited parking bays within the town centre to ensure a consistent time limit; and

·         introduce waiting restrictions across the front of Thomas Wright House, Byers Green to aid access and visibility.

 

(for copy see file of Minutes).

 

The Strategic Traffic Manager informed the Committee that the scheme would standardise existing traffic regulations throughout Spennymoor Town Centre.

 

Consultation took place on the 23rd November 2017 and the formal advert was published and displayed in the local media and on site between 5th May 2018 and 26th May 2018.

 

A number of objections were received which were summarised within the report. The Strategic Traffic Manager informed the Committee that a separate petition had been submitted in relation to objection five of the report. The petition sought the change of use for these bays from disabled bays to unrestricted parking bays.

 

The Committee were advised that the petition was not part of the initial proposal and had not been consulted upon. Under the circumstances it was felt that it should be considered as a separate matter should the Committee be minded to do so. It was explained that balance needed to be provided in town centres and having centrally located disabled bays were seen as being extremely important in achieving such balance.

 

There were no objections raised by the statutory sonsultees and there were no objections received at the formal advertising stage by local businesses or residents.  The objections received, except the petition, were all received during the informal consultation phase.

 

Councillor A Gardner informed the Committee that a lot of work had been carried out by Councillors G Darkes, L Maddison and K Thompson with regard to the proposals put forward.

 

Referring to the petition received from the Penny Gill Public House, Councillor Gardner explained that the pub was used by many bikers and pointed out that there were five disabled bays to the rear of the Weatherspoon’s pub and a further two disabled bays outside of a betting shop, therefore it could be argued that the amount of disabled bays currently located in the area in question were not required.

 

The Strategic Traffic Manager thanked Councillor Gardner for his comments and reiterated that the petition should be dealt as a separate matter with involvement from the local members and be taken forward in due course.

 

Councillor J Shuttleworth felt that the restrictions consulted upon appeared sensible and moved the recommendation to endorse the proposals, with the petition to be dealt with at another time. Councillor S Dunn seconded the recommendation.

 

Resolved

(i) That the Committee endorse the proposal and proceed with the implementation of the Spennymoor Waiting and Parking Restrictions Order 2018 with the final decision to be made by the Corporate Director under delegated powers; and

(ii) That the petition received be dealt with as a separate matter.

Supporting documents: