28/7/2009 - Parking changes for Oxenholme

New waiting restrictions for Helmside Road in Oxenholme were approved by Cumbria County Council’s Local Committee for South Lakeland this week.

After consultation with people in Oxenholme, the new revised traffic regulation order will now increase the amount of residents parking compared with the original consultation proposals, while still increasing the amount of unrestricted parking in the area.

Some additional lengths of ‘No Waiting at Any Time’ have also been introduced to treat some locations where congestion and obstruction occurs.

Councillors on South Lakeland Local Committee have previously approved a review of the parking restrictions on the Kendal side of the station and this work will be undertaken in the current financial year. 

The proposals have been developed to allow the county council to take into account the wishes and needs of all residents in the village and making the best use of the available road space.

Cllr Geoff Cook, Chair of South Lakeland Local Committee, said: "This work on Helmside Road is just the start of work on both sides of the station which the local committee has approved.

"I’m really pleased that this work will tackle congestion and obstruction in Oxenholme and help local people."

In 2006 the county council made a traffic regulation order that introduced parking for residents on parts of Helmside Road. Residents had requested this due to them often being unable to park near their property because of short and long term parking - usually by users of Oxenholme train station.

However, a significant knock on effect of this has been to move the parking for the station to other locations in the surrounding area.

Cumbria County Council has monitored the use made of the residents parking bays at various times of the day and night and various days of the week which has shown that the parking bays are never fully occupied by residents vehicles.

Results from this monitoring show that the amount of parking available for the general public has been reduced by more than that actually necessary. And a consequence of this is the knock on effect of displaced parking into surrounding areas.

Proposals to adapt the current situation were consulted on to maximise the amount of general parking available, whilst still allowing sufficient residents parking for residents to park near their properties.

Following the responses to the consultation revised proposals were developed and advertised locally.

ENDS

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