What about the Residents?


New Restrictions

Parking restrictions are to be introduced on roads close to Royal Preston Hospital after a protest from residents in the area.
Roads between Sharoe Green Lane and Broadwood Drive will be given a variety of waiting restrictions to stop them being besieged by people using the hospital.Full details of the scheme have not yet been finalised as officers still have to examine issues such as the best times to enforce the restrictions.

The move comes after a consultation carried out by traffic officers revealed 98% of the 347 people who replied believed there was a parking problem. 85% said they experienced problems parking while 86% wanted parking to be regulated.County councillor
Preston North East county councillor Michael Welsh said:

"There will be those that find the proposals unpalatable but there does seem to be overwhelming support for some form of restriction and this certainly reflects our experience on the ground."

A Preston Council spokesman said: "After considering these results, the council is drawing up a traffic plan for the area which will result in a variety of waiting restrictions being introduced in line with what residents have requested."

Ian Cox, director of facilities and services at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: "The residents parking scheme will undoubtedly ease the parking problems for local people but time will tell if it results in additional problems at the hospital."

Gill Hope, resident of Long Field Road across from the RPH said:

“It’s ridiculous the parking around here, cars are on the pavements so much that I can’t even push my grand0daughters pram down the street. Something needs to be done ASAP.”

Affect on Booths shoppers

The supermarket Booths, which is situated directly across the road from the Hospital, has also felt the affect of the parking issue. Many visitors and staff will park on Booths car park, as it is free and in non peak times fairly quiet. Booths have now had to start giving out £70 parking fines for people who stay longer than two hours as there were no spaces for local shoppers.

Mick Knight who shops at Booths twice per week said:

“I get so sick of never having anywhere to park. I shop here because I like the quality and its close for me, but when it’s like this I feel like just going to one of the big ones, like Asda.”

Another shopper Margaret Evans said:

“Well, I think it’s very unfair that genuine shoppers like me and my husband are forced to rush. The two hour rule means that we cannot take our time. We are elderly now and enjoy having a coffee in the cafe, but now we have to move the car if we want to stay. We are giving them are custom.”