Park and Writhe - what will Quickways do to our side streets?
Parking is often treated as a minor issue. Until someone parks so that you can hardly walk down the pavement or go anywhere with a buggie or a wheelchair. Or until it becomes impossible to park anywhere close to home.
One question I have after listening to people while canvassing is this: Did anyone from the city or county councils think about what will happen in our side streets when they remove 650 parking spaces from Cowley and Iffley Roads under the Quickways scheme?
Here are some specific examples (blurred a bit to protect confidentiality) already experienced by people for whom car use is not a luxury and who pay for a permit.
A mother returning home in the rain having to ask someone to look after her young children while she finds a space two streets away
Doctors returning from a long shift in the early hours and finding nowhere to park.
A patient returning from radiotherapy treatment faced with a long walk from car to home.
A family carer who knows that when they take the grandchildren home to their parents, their parking space will be gone when they return
An on call mental health care worker unable to find a parking spot close to home
Someone with limited mobility struggling home after parking several streets away.
Can we reduce the pressure on parking spaces? The Car Club is a great asset for people who may be able to give up their cars. Car sharing schemes will also help. Can we limit student car use/parking, as Cambridge appears to do?
We can work with residents on solutions. Or we can impose ill thought out and damaging policies like Quickways that make the situation worse, jam the main roads and make life even more dangerous for cyclists.
If you elect me to represent you in St Mary’s, I will work with you to find something better.
Vote John Skinner, Independent
@onestmarys
Comments