Post by Joe K on Mar 21, 2013 12:49:24 GMT
As reported in today's paper, a wheelchair-bound Clement Street resident was prevented from getting into her house by a van parked, in complete compliance with the council's parking rules, on the pavement and two feet from her gate...
Ivy Meadows was stuck outside her house in Gloucester for three hours after a van blocked her gate
This was hardly an unexpected event. The council claim that there was a 'full consultation with local people' before introduction of the markings. If that consultation involved asking each household if they foresaw any problems with access/egress as a consequence of allowing vehicles to be left on their doorways, then any difficulties are on the residents, but I've seem one of these documents, and it asks no such thing. And given that on average, barely two people in each road returned the form, it's hardly a mandate for action.
So why did it happen? Well, the one person who's been championing this scheme from the start is Saj Patel, now councillor Saj Patel, whose strong links to the Al-Ashraf Centre on Stratton Rd are well-known to residents. The scheme may have created problems for cyclist and pedestrians alike, but it has also, in theory, made it easier for parents of pupils attending the Al-Ashraf Primary School (which is what the centre has slowly morphed into over the past few years) to park while they drop off and pick up their children, so however much residents might complain, Saj and his mates are happy.
Still, the pavement scheme didn't get a mention in his latest newsletter, so he doesn't seem to regard it as a great selling point for him anymore and, evidence to the contrary, also doesn't appear to believe a Parking Action Group is required in the ward. But now he's a councillor, why should he care about that?
Ivy Meadows was stuck outside her house in Gloucester for three hours after a van blocked her gate
This was hardly an unexpected event. The council claim that there was a 'full consultation with local people' before introduction of the markings. If that consultation involved asking each household if they foresaw any problems with access/egress as a consequence of allowing vehicles to be left on their doorways, then any difficulties are on the residents, but I've seem one of these documents, and it asks no such thing. And given that on average, barely two people in each road returned the form, it's hardly a mandate for action.
So why did it happen? Well, the one person who's been championing this scheme from the start is Saj Patel, now councillor Saj Patel, whose strong links to the Al-Ashraf Centre on Stratton Rd are well-known to residents. The scheme may have created problems for cyclist and pedestrians alike, but it has also, in theory, made it easier for parents of pupils attending the Al-Ashraf Primary School (which is what the centre has slowly morphed into over the past few years) to park while they drop off and pick up their children, so however much residents might complain, Saj and his mates are happy.
Still, the pavement scheme didn't get a mention in his latest newsletter, so he doesn't seem to regard it as a great selling point for him anymore and, evidence to the contrary, also doesn't appear to believe a Parking Action Group is required in the ward. But now he's a councillor, why should he care about that?
