Residents of Ashburton Street in Cobridge hit out at workers parking on street
RESIDENTS are calling for action to stop staff from a call centre parking on their street and causing 'unmanageable congestion'.
Families in Ashburton Street, Cobridge, say they are at their wits' end after cars left by workers at nearby businesses are lining their street from dawn until dusk.
They have contacted Stoke-on-Trent City Council to ask if anything can be done, but one homeowner claims he was told the only option would be for them to install residential parking bays, which would incur a one-off signing up fee of £71 per household, and then a further £18 per year for two cars.
If families want space for visitors they would have to pay for a £25 visitors' permit.
Business Cards From Only £10.95 Delivered www.myprint-247.co.uk
View detailsOur heavyweight cards have FREE UV silk coating, FREE next day delivery & VAT included. Choose from 1000's of pre-designed templates or upload your own artwork. Orders dispatched within 24hrs.
Terms: Visit our site for more products: Business Cards, Compliment Slips, Letterheads, Leaflets, Postcards, Posters & much more. All items are free next day delivery. www.myprint-247.co.uk
Contact: 01858 468192
Valid until: Friday, May 31 2013
Instead, residents are calling on the staff members to have the 'common courtesy' to avoid congesting their street.
Darren Bedson, a 44-year-old health and safety consultant, who lives in Ashburton Street, said: "Many times I've had to turn into our street on the wrong side of the road to be met by oncoming cars due to parked vehicles. I realise that we need businesses to benefit the local economy but could someone explain why we have to endure this?"
Fifty-four-year-old Jane McNichol, who lives in Ashburton Street with her husband Phil, aged 54, and daughter Sophie, aged 24, said: "It affects us because we can't get our own vehicle in. They park right outside our own property, which is not nice."
Autonet Insurance Group, which is one of the largest employers in Burslem with 550 staff, said they were aware of the problem and are making arrangements to extend their car park.
A spokesman said: "'We have been based in Burslem for eight years now and have a good relationship with both residents and companies. Parking is an issue not only for us but other businesses in the area and it is something which is constantly being reviewed.
"We currently provide parking on site for staff and have recently secured an additional 20 spaces to help alleviate the problem.
"We remind staff on a regular basis to be mindful of where they park.
"We understand the issues that residents face and we are constantly looking to provide additional parking for our staff."
Hardial Bhogal, the council's director of city renewal, said: "We carry out widespread consultation on planning applications as part of statutory processes before applications are determined. If residents inform us of illegal parking, we can visit areas, and carry out enforcement. We carry out checks on all areas where restrictions are enforced.
"Residents can also inquire about parking schemes."
Comments
by thought
Friday, August 31 2012, 4:31PM
“I think it's pretty straight forward, if people are parking on the highway and not causing an obstruction, that's OK. If they are causing an obstruction, it's illegal and the police should be called.
I live on a street with on-street parking sometimes I have to park in a neighboring street, that's life. But if I couldn't drive down my street I'd be furious and if I couldn't find who'd blocked it I'd phone the police.”
by faraway1984
Friday, August 31 2012, 4:18PM
“@Jonesystoke, I am not a fascist I understand how these people feel that they can't park outside there home. I used to live in a terraced street where it was impossible to get my car outside my house. The point being is that I do not complain to the council or the sentinel because I can't park my car outside my home I just park where I can and deal with it as everyone pays road tax and can park where ever they wish.”
by faraway1984
Friday, August 31 2012, 4:18PM
“@Jonesystoke, I am not a fascist I understand how these people feel that they can't park outside there home. I used to live in a terraced street where it was impossible to get my car outside my house. The point being is that I do not complain to the council or the sentinel because I can't park my car outside my home I just park where I can and deal with it as everyone pays road tax and can park where ever they wish.”
by forthepeople
Friday, August 31 2012, 4:02PM
“I have friends who work at Autonet and have seen that the parking is pretty pants, however the staff there are not yobs or hooligans, they park sensibly and stick to the LAW.
You don't own a road just because you live there and there are options for you to have bays, if you want a piece of the road then pay for it!!
I think for THE largest employer in such a deprived area we should be congratulating them, thanking them and working with them to make people happy not writing to a newspaper to complain, if this company went out of business then over 550 staff are out of a job!
NICE ONE Darren & Jane....well played!”
by tilly01
Friday, August 31 2012, 3:50PM
“The Council are to blame for this. They allow new businesses to be built but do not take into account the amount of parking spaces which are required to accommodate staff working in those buildings. The same thing has happened on Festival Park and when staff complained to the Council that there were no parking facilites around for them, they were fobbed off and told the buildings were constructed with the amount of spaces required within the law and now when residents complain, they want them to pay for the Councils mistakes. When will we get people with some common sense making these decisions?”
by jonesystoke
Friday, August 31 2012, 2:57PM
“The sentinel forum fascists strike again. Shouldn't people be allowed some piece of mind in and around their homes?”
by scfcscfc08
Friday, August 31 2012, 11:15AM
“faraway1984
Ditto.”
by faraway1984
Friday, August 31 2012, 10:50AM
“Snore............!
We all pay road tax, so shouldn't we be allowed to park wherever?”