The problems around parking in the Saints area of Harrogate was briefly discussed at the North Yorkshire County Council Area Committee today (16 March 2017) – that is the forum of the County Council representatives for the area.
Councillor John Ennis said that he had been contacted by some local residents with concerns that the area around St Winifred’s and St Hilda’s, along with adjoining roads, was being used as a car park. The area is used extensively by the two local schools, Fishers and St Aidans, and Harrogate Hospital.
Cllr Ennis said that some locals were experiencing blocked drives, there was emergency vehicle access issue and there was limited parking for local residents.
The group said that they were looking at making the area a residential parking zone in during 2018.
Although the group didn’t fully look at the issue, it was not clear where the current vehicles would park and if parking restrictions would simply move the problem.
Also with issues such as this it is important that changes are only made that reflect the sentiment of the majority. While Cllr Ennis will have received complaints, there will also be many that are supportive of hospital staff parking in their area, given the community work that they do.
I have lived in the Saints estate for 30 years. The last 10 years have seen an unacceptable level of growth in parked vehicles predominantly from hospital staff. During the last 5 years the growth has exceeded the available space on a number of streets and despite many forms of communication to local councillors, MP’s HBC and the Highways dept re this problem, nothing has been done. Rest dents have been left to try and live with daily problems caused by excessive and illegal parking with little or no support from the authorities. It is no longer possible for residents to park in the street where they live, it is increasingly difficult to have tradesmen work at your property and it is virtually impossible for visitors to park in the estate anywhere even close to your property. Councillor Marsh made a comment in the Harrogate Advertiser “hospital workers gave a right to park in the street as it is a public place”
However due to the excessive duration of parking 07:00 to 19:00 and beyond, this prevents resident and others as mentioned from being able to exercise their “right” to park on the public highway. This is caused by the authorities concerned failing in their duty and responsibility to keep the public highway open for the free flow of traffic for all users. For many years they have turned a blind eye to this problem which is now at unacceptable levels causing problems and concern to all residents and users of the public highway in the Saints area. I am very well aware of the fact the Saints is not the only area in Harrogate with excessive parking problems but the Saints have suffered this problem for the past 10 years. It is time that someone from the Highways dept and HBC came to have a look at the situation before there is an accident, or is that what it will take to get something done?