Dozens of people have voiced their concerns over “selfish parking” in and around Huntingdon at meeting organised by district councillors.
Residents turned out at St Mary’s Church Hall, last Tuesday (August 23), to have their say on the increasing problem of parking in the town.
Organised by councillors Ste Greenall and Mike Shellens, the meeting aimed to start talks between residents and local authorities.
Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Greenall said: “We fielded a lot of questions from areas that we expected but there were places that we haven’t been made aware of that came along and told us their issues.
“Now that we have started we need to keep on top of it. We need the cooperation of the county council and the police to ask what they are going to do about the problem.”
Among the concerns, calls were made for more action to be taken against motorists who inconsiderately or dangerously park.
“We need PCSOs to go out there and put stickers on those cars that are parked in the wrong place.”
One area highlighted was Avenue Road, where home-owners recalled a situation
where an ambulance couldn’t get down the street due to parked cars.
Cllr Greenall told The Hunts Post: “When it gets that serious it nearly becomes a matter of life and death for the sake of selfish parking.”
A number of hotspots of problem parking were also put forward during the talk including Ingram Street and Euston Street, close to the town centre.
“We heard that before the lampposts were changed in these streets there used to be signs stating that those areas were residents only parking but these signs haven’t been replaced and now an awful lot of people are parking here.”
Huntingdon resident, Ronald Clarke, of Hawkins Court, who went along to the meeting said: “If we want the town to grow then people are going to come into the town centre with their cars so some-thing needs to be done.”
Following the meeting the district council members will put the concerns of residents
to Cambridgeshire County Council, Huntingdonshire District Council and the police to discuss a way forward.
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