Residents' parking schemes could be considered for Biggleswade roads

Highways officers are investigating which areas of Biggleswade would benefit from a residents' parking scheme, a meeting heard.

One of the roads could be Brigham Gardens, but no date can be predicted yet, a Central Bedfordshire Council traffic management meeting was told.

There were 12 representations received to the statutory consultation over double yellow lines potentially being installed, according to principal highways officer Lisa Wright.

"Residents are concerned they would be unable to park, and it's non-residents parking which causes the issues in the road.

"The recommendation is we don't proceed with the implementation of double yellow lines at this time."

A petition was reported to the March meeting asking for 'No waiting at any time’ restrictions to be put in there.

This was requested "to prevent obstructive parking preventing access for emergency vehicles and the blocking of pedestrian footways", according to a report to the meeting.

"It was felt inappropriate to introduce residents' parking permits in Brigham Gardens as an individual road, because it would require a wider review to be undertaken," said the report.

"Ward councillors were asked to continue direct talks with the town council to see if parking charges are set at a level to maximise car park use and are a deterrent to drivers parking in inappropriate locations on residential streets."

Local resident Nick Gurney said: "If you put yellow lines on our street and do nothing else it'll create a bigger problem for us.

"We've no safe alternative to park in. We're elderly and vulnerable. We need to park adjacent to our houses.

"We feel the solution is to create residents only parking in front of our properties. We accept this would involve charges."

Conservative Biggleswade North councillor Ian Bond read a letter from Brigham Gardens resident Mark Brunt, who agreed the waiting restrictions proposal "would punish the residents for dangerous parking of non-residents".

Councillor Bond said the parking in garages for some of the properties is unsuitable, and Mr Brunt described them as "small in comparison with modern cars" in his remarks.

"There are real issues there," explained councillor Bond. "It's not an easy solution. This needs to be looked at as part of a bigger scheme, so we don't transfer the problem somewhere else, as the officers say."

Conservative Arlesey councillor Ian Dalgarno explained: "Brigham Gardens is a reflection of the issues we have across many areas of Central Bedfordshire, with estates which aren't designed for the number of vehicles people have.

"I understand the impact of just double yellow lining all that area, especially if residents don't have off street parking in space constrained areas.

"Deliveries wouldn't be impacted. The crux is whether yellow lines are a suitable solution and I don't believe they are.

"Brigham Gardens is one of many roads in Biggleswade where we've had representations asking us to consider residents' parking only.

"That will hopefully bring down the cost of implementation. This is a better solution because you can get permits for visitors as well.

"There's a cost to that, but if it resolves the issues that helps residents," added councillor Dalgarno, who chairs the meeting and is the executive member for community services.

"I've had talks with highways officers about a wider residents' permit scheme for Biggleswade as a matter of urgency, which will include Brigham Gardens.

"I can't give you a timeline on that, unfortunately. And we'll provide the disabled parking bay as advertised."