There’s been a change of direction for parking plans in part of Newbury. The proposed removal of on-street PaybyPhone parking bays and their replacement with ‘No Waiting At Any Time’ restrictions on Old Bath Road in Speen has been shelved for the time being after a public consultation received 23 objections, including from Speen Parish Council.
Speen Parish Council said the loss of parking to implement a mandatory cycle lane is not required and is a completely unnecessary expense, particularly as part of the pavement is already a marked cycle lane and cyclists can cycle on the carriageway. “If the council were seriously interested in encouraging cycling they would maintain the cycle track through Goldwell Park by removing the sudden dip/hole about one third of the way down and trimming the overhanging trees,” it added.
The proposal to remove the on-street PaybyPhone bays on the south side — between Speen Lane and Speen Hill Close — and introduce ‘No Waiting At Any Time’ restrictions will be omitted from the current proposed scheme. “This proposal to remove parking bays will only encourage higher motorist speeds, which will further endanger pedestrians,” said one local.
Revised active travel enhancements in the area of Old Bath Road will be subject to review at a later date, which will also include investigations, where possible, for the reintroduction of on-street parking charges.
The remaining proposed restrictions at A4 Bath Road in Thatcham; the northside of the A4 Bath Road, between numbers 95-109, in Thatcham; and Northfield Road to The Firs junction, in Thatcham, will be introduced as advertised, despite objections.
“As a person living on Bath Road, and having spoken with neighbours, we cannot understand the reason for making it harder for residents to get out of, or into, driveways on a busy road by making it not possible to stop outside to get out onto the road or reverse onto the drive,” wrote one objector. “The only near misses I am aware of are cyclists that don’t stop when people are reversing out of driveways. People are now trying to reverse onto driveways so that coming out it is safer and easier to see cyclists. Putting a no stopping on the main road will make it not possible to reverse onto driveways therefore not helping make roads safer for cyclists or residents who park or driveways.”
The council said the parking restrictions will be monitored to determine their effectiveness and that any further amendments required can be introduced as part of the review process, subject to the standard consultation procedure.
Niki Hinman, Local Democracy Reporter
