FBC’s plans for dealing with the problem of Commuter parking in Residential roads were outlined in the Summer OIAW, in an article entitled “Town Centre Parking Strategy”. Their intention, at that time, was to adopt a phased approach, in which the problems in Harrison, Southampton and Serpentine Roads were to be addressed first, with Wallington being looked at in a subsequent phase.

It has now become clear that the Council intend to take a slightly different approach and have widened the scope of Phase I (which, due to financial constraints may well be the only phase for several years) to include a number of additional areas, including Wallington. In subsequent discussion with FBC Officers, however, it is apparent that they intend to address the problem in Wallington Shore Road only. We have highlighted to FBC that it is completely incoherent to look at Wallington Shore Road in isolation and stated that they must also include Delme Drive, Radclyffe Road (and the lower part of North Wallington), in order to avoid simply shifting the problem from A to B etc.

At the time of writing this update, FBC have been unable to provide assurances that ALL the above roads will be included. Assuming however that we can make FBC “see sense”, then the potential inclusion of the Village in Phase I is good news in that it allows us the chance to avoid the problem of additional commuter cars being displaced from Harrison and Southampton roads and parking in the Village instead.

It will however require Residents to take a forward-thinking view on the parking issue for the following reasons:

• From the strength of feeling generated by residents of Southampton and Harrison roads in particular at the public meetings we have attended in the past 12 months, I firmly believe that they will sign up to a Residents’ scheme of some sort.
• The problem will become worse; year on year there is likely to be no further opportunity to address this issue for several years.

I anticipate that FBC will start the process of consulting with residents/conducting surveys from mid 2009 onwards. Please give this some careful thought and take full advantage of the consultation process when it gets underway.

David Walton