No parking near school gates as council plans new restrictions

West Berkshire Council has drawn up plans to bring in extra parking restrictions across the district, including outside schools and businesses.
It means that parents at some schools will not be able to park outside the school at drop-off and pick-up times.
Council officers, who drew up up the plans, have said that the ideas were being introduced to address road safety concerns, prevent verge damage, improve traffic flow and to make parking easier for residents.
The council’s executive member for highways and transport, Pamela Bale (Con, Pangbourne), said that that there had been a full consultation and that it was important that residents had been listened to.
She said: “Most of the requests came from the parish councils or local residents, and highways officers then discussed the issues that have been raised to see what, if anything, can be done.”
Linda Wood, the headteacher at Chieveley Primary School, one of the schools that comes under the proposed changes, said: “We welcome the new lines as this will help ensure the safety of the children as they come in and out of school.
“Many of our parents have asked us to approach the council for these lines and are very supportive of this action.”
While many residents living close to schools will applaud the proposals, neighbours of Parsons Down Junior School, Herons Way, Thatcham – where double and single line restrictions are planned – have objected.
They said that that introducing restrictions on one side of the road would have an impact on them as not everyone was able to park on their driveways and therefore they would struggle to park near their homes during peak school times.
However, district council officers disagreed and said that parking restrictions would allow easy flow of the traffic and that most residents had off-street parking.
The district council’s opposition spokesman for highways and transport, Keith Woodhams (Lib Dem, Thatcham West), said that he still agreed with residents about parking on Herons Way and that this was an issue that had been going on for many years.
Parents park on the road outside the school rather than use the designated park and stride scheme at the Nature Discovery Centre as the surface there is constantly muddy.
Mr Woodhams said that this surface needed to be relaid and then parents would use it.
He said: “Thousands of pounds was spent on the Nature Discovery Centre park and stride scheme.
“I support the residents’ point of view; we should be promoting the park and stride and not impacting on residents parking.”
Double and single yellow lines, as well as permit holder-only bays, could also be introduced in villages and towns across the district.
The plans, which went out for public consultation, gained 144 responses which led to some of the ideas being rejected.
Nineteen people objected to plans to introduce single yellow lines along a length of Kintbury High Street and, as a result, this has now been omitted from the final papers.
Twenty responses were received against the proposals for double and single yellow line restrictions in Rectory Close, Newbury. This has also been omitted from the list.
A final decision is expected to be made by Mrs Bale today (Friday).