Workers at Torquay businesses may have to pay to park
EMPLOYEES at Torquay's Edginswell Business Park will have to pay to park in new bays if new plans are approved.
Torbay Council's transport working party is today considering how to respond to the need for extra parking at the site.
-
Double yellow line
At present, some workers are parking vehicles in residential areas causing visibility issues.
Others are being forced to drive on the wrong side of the road on the approach to a bend, sparking safety concerns for motorists and pedestrians.
With a wealth of experience in all aspects of upvc, from windows & doors to conservatories and anything in between GDH UPVC offers competitive prices why not call today you maybe surprised!
Contact: 01803 226676
Valid until: Thursday, June 20 2013
Enforcement of the parking restrictions in and around the business park was increased at the police's request in December after a number of people complained about the parking problems.
A number of vehicles were subsequently displaced into the surrounding roads, particularly between Orchard Way and Collaton Road in the area of Edginswell Close.
Council members and officers, and representatives of the businesses and the local residents, attended a meeting last month and it was agreed that the possibility of incorporating some on-street parking bays would be investigated.
The option that is being recommended to the transport working party is to provide 25 metered car parking spaces on Oak View Close and Orchard Way, as well as new double yellow lines on Collaton Road.
The cost of implementing the bays and installing the three parking machines required would be £12,000.
This would be recovered in the first 12 months of operation if the spaces, charged at £2 per day, were fully utilised for 48 weeks of the year.
The other options being presented to the working party are to make no changes at the present time, or to provide the parking spaces and double yellow lines as above, without the meters.
The cost of this would be in the region of £2,500, which would have to be funded by the businesses.
Nick Sanders, director of the Pavey Group in Orchard Way, said: "The whole idea of the exercise was to temporarily provide additional parking space until the business estate is finished off.
"It seems ludicrous to spend money putting in meters for a temporary solution and 25 spaces won't be enough for everyone.
"If that is the solution, I think £2 per day is a fair price, but there would be grumbles because at the moment people are finding ways of parking which isn't costing them a penny.
"It would be very difficult to get more people here to car-share because quite a few staff have to go out on appointments so they need their vehicles.
"Parking wouldn't be a problem if there were decent transport links to the estate."
Barry Dunnage, secretary of Edginswell Residents' Association, said the residents would prefer the option without meters.
He said: "Our main concern is safety and the double yellow lines will deal with the dangerous situation. Our other concern is charging will be counter-productive because it will encourage people working on the business park to look for somewhere else in the neighbourhood."
3 Comments
by TrotskyOffski
Sunday, March 17 2013, 10:11AM
“Staff at the town hall all receive free parking permits yet most use the residential streets around the town hall to park. These free parking permits off course come at a cost to the tax payer.”
by MrT26
Saturday, March 16 2013, 12:37PM
“Do they need as many as 3 machines for just 25 spaces, especially when most will be used for a whole day period? Two seems adequate, and covers when one is not working.”
by BayBorn
Saturday, March 16 2013, 10:48AM
“Staff at Torbay Hospital have to pay to park on site and there is a longstanding problem with nearby residential roads being used by staff. The hospital has, of course, outgrown itself since being built. This new Business Park should not have received planning permission/been allowed to function without adequate parking for staff.”