No Stopping Order Proposal For Southcote

No Stopping Order Proposal For Southcote

23/04/2013
Reading Borough Council Press Release

Residents in Southcote are to have their say on a proposal to ban anti-social parking in their neighbourhood.

Southcote Neighbourhood Action Group has been out over the last few weeks assessing which roads in the area suffer from the worst issues of people parking their vehicles on grass verges and pavements.

When people do this, it can reduce visibility at road junctions and roundabouts and can cause an obstruction for those with mobility problems, parents with pushchairs and young children walking to and from school, and older people. As well as making it difficult for residents to use their streets safely, the vehicles can also cause substantial damage to verges.

Residents living in Ashampstead Road, Brunel Road, Circuit Lane, Florian Gardens (off Virginia Way), Frilsham Road, Gainsborough Road, Southcote Lane and Virginia Way, where these problems occur more often, will be able to feedback what they think of the ban which is being proposed by the neighbourhood action group, through a consultation that starts this week.

The consultation (April 20th-May 28th 2013), concerns whether to introduce a ‘no stopping’ order in these roads. A no stopping order would prevent any vehicle from pulling up and stopping on pavements and verges. After a period in which warning notices would be issued, registered keepers of vehicles found by Council enforcement officers to be in breach of the ban, would be issued with a penalty charge notice.

Rachel Eden, lead councillor for neighbourhoods and housing, said: “This is the chance for local residents to say what they think about footway and verge parking and the NAG’s proposals for tackling it. Verge parking was a key issue identified by many people who responded to a major NAG survey last year, but it is important for car-owners who would be affected by the proposed ban to respond also.”

Residents will receive a consultation form through their door, but any resident in the area is welcome to attend the next Southcote Neighbourhood Action Group meeting on Thursday, May 23rd at 7pm, at the Children’s Centre in Coronation Square .

The consultation is also available to view online at www.reading.gov.uk/southcoteparking

If there is found to be majority support for the scheme amongst residents, the request will then be passed onto Reading Borough Council for them to consider.