Double yellow lines will be used to improve safety at the junctions of several streets in Dunstable, after a parking study.
No waiting at any time restrictions have been agreed at various locations in an area bound by High Street North and West Street, but which excludes those two roads.
The survey included a manual count of all vehicles parked in each road during a 12-hour period on two separate days, a Central Bedfordshire Council traffic management meeting heard. It highlighted issues such as parking on footpaths, too close to junctions or in a way that could obstruct emergency vehicles, according to a report to councillors.
“Dropped kerbs aren’t available for those that need to use them, often more vulnerable people using a mobility scooter or wheelchair or those with young children in a pushchair,” said the report.
The roads involved are:
- Benning Avenue at the junction with Worthington Road, and at its junction with Franklin Road;
- Brewers Hill Road at the access to Weatherfield Academy, and at the junction with Hillcroft;
- Chiltern Road at the junction with Nursery Close;
- Weatherby/ Hillcroft at the junction with Greenfield Close;
- Salters Way at its junctions with Ravenscourt, Sunbower Avenue, Palma Close, and at the junction leading to the garages between numbers 32 and 34;
- Sunbower Avenue, at the junction with England’s Avenue, Barrie Avenue and Barley Brow;
- and Weatherby (main road) at the junction with Weatherby (cul-de-sac) leading to numbers 50 to 74.
Amendments are proposed to the waiting restrictions in Albion Street to no waiting at any time.
“The repeated action of parking close to a junction can influence other people’s travel choices,” CBC’s principal strategic transport officer Amanda Stopp told the meeting.
“This is if they feel they can’t use a route, their safety is compromised or the parking detracts from the environment, making it unpleasant for walking,” she said.
“There were 16 junctions identified where vehicles were parking too close to the junction.
“Double yellow lines (no waiting at any time restrictions) are proposed for each of these junctions, with some extra measures which don’t require public consultation.
“The no waiting restrictions were advertised in November and 20 responses were received.”
Conservative Dunstable Northfields Councillor Johnson Tamara wondered whether sufficient parking will be available once the yellow lines are in place.
“For those that don’t have any parking or a reduced amount of space, this is one of the most serious issues in my ward,” he warned.
“The safety issues are important, but I do worry about the parking and where these cars are going to go.”
Conservative Dunstable Watling Councillor Nigel Young said: “This forms part of the wider parking strategy.
“We proposed there would be two large parking permit areas, which was broadly agreed.
“But we decided to postpone it until after Covid, as it might get a negative reaction if area wide restrictions were in place.
“We suffer a lot from pavement parking and we couldn’t enforce that if we don’t have the double yellow lines in place at dangerous points.”
Conservative Arlesey councillor Ian Dalgarno, who chairs the meeting, said: “We need to protect those road junctions for other road users and improve safety for pedestrians to get through.
“Some of the roads around the area are quite narrow, so putting in yellow lines will support the free movement of traffic.
“If people park in certain places it completely blocks the road.”
