Cllr Don Stockton has joined residents in a call for Action over obstructive parking in Cliff Road, Wilmslow, where cars parked along the footpath are restricting the already narrow walkway.
Cllr Stockton, Cheshire East councillor for Wilmslow East and Lacey Green, has been working with residents to look at a solution to the problem and is liaising with Cheshire East Council to secure funding to install bollards and warning signs along the railings and on the pedestrian verge, advising parking on the footpath is illegal and anyone parking there will be fined.
However, Cllr Stockton has admitted that “... in the long term a preventative rather than reactive solution is required” and has suggested these measures could be enhanced by a wider pavement, by introduction of a one way system, or taken further with a cyclist and pedestrian-only route.
Cllr Stockton explained that obstructive parking by visitors accessing the footpaths off Cliffe Road, posed a serious risk to pedestrians, particularly in light of the coronavirus outbreak.
Pedestrians were forced to break social distance to fit round the parked cars or risk walking in the road, which was especially dangerous as vehicles often travel at speed along this road.
Cheshire East Council are looking into these problems but have said “There are, unfortunately, no engineering measures suitable to address the inconsiderate actions of those who choose to park inappropriately in this location that would not also adversely impact on pedestrian movement and safety on the footway."and confirmed that where vehicles are found to be obstructing the highway, this is a Police matter.
Nonetheless a Wilmslow resident Mrs Jeffers said: “Civil Enforcers are ticketing but they can’t be there all day, and they just get advisory notices, which for some is worth the cost of having to park somewhere else.” She went on to thank Cllr Stockton “... for helping to ensure this problem stays visible. We need action before the next headline where somebody has been injured.”
Cllr Stockton added: “I would like to thank Mrs Jeffers for her fantastic input and insight. She has put forward a number of useful suggestions and I look forward to working with her and her fellow residents on this issue.”
Acknowledgements: 1) Cllr Don Stockton 2) https://www.knutsfordguardian.co.uk/news/18520850.action-call-footpath-parkers-cliff-road-wilmslow/ (Ian Ross: 16.06.2020)