Cosham parking zone ruled out after residents oppose plans

The council’s cabinet member for transport, Councillor Peter Candlish, accepted officers’ recommendations and declined to introduce a permit parking scheme covering Glenleigh Avenue, Cosham Park Avenue, Dorking Crescent, Knowsley Road, Knowsley Crescent, Magdala Road, Park Grove and Salisbury Road.

A formal consultation showed 84 per cent of respondents were against the proposal. Of the 82 responses received, 13 supported the scheme while 69 opposed it.

Local resident Martine Parry also submitted a petition signed by residents of Widley Court Drive and Dorking Crescent, with 77 per cent of households providing signatures.

She said residents’ main concerns were that there were currently few problems with parking in the area, the cost of permits, and that alternative solutions had not been properly explored.

The council originally proposed the RPZ to manage congestion, improve parking opportunities for residents and encourage alternative means of travel.

Jake Dealey, another local, surveyed 181 residents across the proposed RPZ, 70 per cent of which were against.

He suggested, after hearing residents’ thoughts, that increasing free parking outside residential areas would help without burdening them financially.

Cllr Candlish said that although there had been interest in the scheme “some years ago”, it was now clear there was “not an appetite for doing this”.

He also approved double yellow lines on the turning head of Widley Court Drive (outside number 20) that had been requested by residents.