To answer questions asked by members of the public after notice in accordance with the motion passed by the Council at its meeting on 19 February 2008 (minute 102 refers) on any matter in relation to which the Cabinet has powers or duties or which affects the District.
Minutes:
The following public question was asked by Mr D Windrow:
“My name is David Windrow from Ambleside and my attendance here tonight concerns parking and road safety.
I think I am speaking on behalf of most of the residents in Hemnall Ward and specifically Ambleside, Greentrees, Kendal Avenue and the side roads off Bower Hill.
I have a question to table directed at EFDC and ECC Highways and that question is, what is going on with the Parking Review ?
This review was started over 5 years ago. Finally in May of 2009, Consultation Proposals and Schematics were published and many residents responded. As far as I am aware, the majority in Hemnall Ward supported the overall proposals and some asked for more Residents’ Parking Bays which of course generate revenue for the Council.
Since then we have heard nothing, 16 months and it was supposed to be implemented by end 2009.
We have been informed that there were schematic errors, measurement errors and that the Consultation Proposals were not properly Gazetted and that consequently it will have to be done again.
However, whilst it is appreciated that doing this again, properly, will involve costs at a difficult time, why should the residents of Epping, particularly those in the area around Epping Station be subjected to considerable inconvenience, environmental disturbance in residential streets and sometimes conflict with parkers, because of ECC bureaucratic errors and inefficiency. If a mistake was made, somebody in ECC should pay for it.
In recent months commuter parking has been getting far worse and something has to be done. The Olympics are only 18 months away and if nothing is done by then, it will be mayhem. It is now quite common for commuters to park up at 11 a.m. and stay all day, many not leaving until late at night or leaving their cars for 24 hours. The only respite we get is when there is a tube strike.
The parking in Stonards Hill is an absolute disgrace. Many people and families with young children use the recreation area and there is no Pedestrian Crossing which there should be because this road is a rat run and the speed limit is seldom observed.
Finally, due to poor road signage, there are four dangerous junctions in Epping which over the last few years, I and others have written to ECC Highways about and we have been totally ignored, nothing has been done.
These junctions are made worse by the parking problems. The junctions concerned, in order of priority are Hemnall Street and Kendal Avenue, Hemnall Street and Clay Lane, the West end of Hemnall St at the High Rd junction and the Stonards Hill and Theydon Grove junction. Why are we being ignored ? We use these junctions and know what the problems are.
The local Neighbourhood Action Panel (I am a member) has discussed these issues several times but it appears powerless to get anything done and it is not for the want of trying.
Mr Chairman, can you please tell me what is going on and when will something be done. Do we have to put up with this chaos for another 5 years?”
The Portfolio Holder for Operational Planning & Transport gave the following response:
“As Members know all work on the three area wide parking reviews (Epping, Buckhurst Hill and Loughton Broadway) was suspended following escalating costs for which adequate budget is not available.
The Cabinet at its meeting on 27 July authorised the Portfolio Holders for Leader of the Council, Operational Planning and Transport and Finance and Economic Development to agree to the commencement of the parking reviews subject to the condition that the costs are within existing budget allocation.
The officers of both the District and County Council are working to finalise cost estimates associated with the parking reviews. I understand that officers will be able to present a report on this matter in the near future (a few weeks).
I understand that Members and residents are frustrated with the delays, we all want to see a resolution to this matter. However as the Portfolio Holder responsible I must ensure that the financial risk to the Council is understood and best managed.”
The Portfolio Holder also added that as the County Council had refused to pay for the Parking Reviews, they had to be funded from the District Council’s budgets. The information available to the County Council following a survey had indicated that only approximately 50% of the residents in Ambleside had expressed support for the imposition of parking restrictions in the area. The Portfolio Holder undertook to investigate the issues raised over the junctions in Hemnall Street, the issue could possibly be considered by the Local Highways Panel, and would respond personally to the Questioner along with updates on the progress made with the Parking Review.
The Questioner reiterated his opinion that the road signage at the four junctions were the problem, along with the possibility that the Olympics in 2012 could bring parking chaos to the streets in Epping around the London Underground station.
The Portfolio Holder stated that the Council needed to cooperate with the County Council over the road signs at each of the four junctions, and also understood the potential problems that could arise from the Olympics in two years hence.