WESTBURY town councillors recently discussed the on-going parking issues at Springfield Road next to Matravers School. Neighbours had contacted the council expressing concern over cars parking outside their houses, opposite the school.
Councillors discussed the issue at a meeting of the highways planning and development (HP&D) of the town council last month. Speaking at the meeting, cllr Mike Sutton said, “I sympathise with the residents concerned but as we’ve said many times, the law of the land is you do not own the space outside your house; if people park their car outside your house there is nothing the law can do about it unless it is blocking your drive.”
Cllr Duncan Hamilton-Sheen said, “The whole of Springfield Road needs a rethink – there is no raised pavement really for the children to walk on. It’s something that has gotten worse and worse and it will continue to get worse. If the school builds a new block, they will most likely attract more students but equally, if someone buys a house there, you’ll be getting another car to add into the mix. This is something that needs a rethink and perhaps making it one-way would address those issues.”
Cllr Jane Russ added, “Another possible solution would be something I had experience with in my previous role as a school governor – we had a very narrow road up to the school that created issues such as the ones discussed today. We ended up saying that no-one is allowed to park on the road during the hours of X and Y, besides residents, and it actually worked.”
The residents’ concerns were also shared with the police. In his reply to the town council, Sergeant Oakley wrote, “Unfortunately, this is not a school issue, and anyone is allowed to park on the road, but we can only ask. From my knowledge, and when I was last there, emergency services can get by unless the cars are parking on either side of the road.
“I don’t think there is much we can do as there are no parking restrictions and the residents do not own the space outside the front. I’m also aware that there is access from either side which the residents can use so we would not class this as an obstruction.
“Going forward, I can get PC Chaventre and PCSO Doyle to have a chat and come to some understanding with all and educate the school and residents; the only other option is for this to be pushed to Wiltshire Council to place parking restrictions on the road.”
Cllr Matt Dean also said he has arranged to have a meeting with Matravers School now that the school has closed for the holidays and he will provide an update once the meeting has taken place.
After consideration, councillors agreed to submit a request for the local highways and footways improvement group of Wiltshire Council to investigate the possibility of a one-way system in the area.
The White Horse News contacted Matravers for comment but received no response.
