Fury at parking survey outcome
Maxwell Kusi Obodum • Published 12 Aug 2012 16:00
1 Comment
THE results of a controversial transport survey blocking proposals for a new residents'-only parking scheme have caused outrage.
Labour councillors in Norcot ward have scrapped plans for a restricted zone in the St George's Road area after 57% of people responding to a questionnaire posted to homes in the predominantly terraced housing area in March objected.
But furious neighbours claim they knew nothing about the study, sent out in a Labour newsletter to 2,000 homes in St George's Road, Shaftesbury Road and Grovelands Road, and point out it generated only 25 responses - 1% of its target audience.
Mum-of-three Sarah Buchan, from Grovelands Road, denied receiving it and said: "To have 25 responses is crazy, it seems a lot of people didn't see it. Parking is terrible down here, most of the time you end up parking over the road."
Wolsey Goddard, 79, who has lived in St George's Road for nearly 50 years, said: "I would be in favour if I saw it. It's hectic round here and when you go out you can't get back into your space."
His neighbour, Joanna Boynton, who also denied receiving the survey, said spaces were pressured by office workers and shoppers leaving their cars there all day and getting a bus into town.
She added: "It's a nightmare and it's getting progressively worse."
Ramesh Raj who owns Raj Corner Store at the junction of Shaftesbury Road and Oxford Road, said: "If they had given me the forms I would have put them in people's letter boxes."
Bobbie Dawson, 50, from Grovelands Road, did not fill in the survey but said: "It's first come first served round here and it isn't as bad as some other places I have lived. The results just show you it isn't as bad as some people say."
But Norcot ward councillor Peter Jones defended the study, which was carried out after neighbours flagged up parking problems earlier this year.
He said: "We tried to get it to people by the most informed means but it's difficult to take action when there is a slow response.
"If there is a huge outcry and people say they weren't consulted clearly we can think again but we have to respect the present survey for the time being."
This article appeared in Local Berkshire 10 Aug 12
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Mister Dog
Unregistered User
Aug 12, 22:55
Report commentAnother disastrous 'consultation' from Labour. It would be interesting to know the cost of this sham and where the money set aside for it has really gone.
Funny how consultation forms don't turn up, but political newsletters rarely fail to touch the sides of the letterbox. Full of self-flatulent puffery about fixes to problems that were caused by our local parties in the first place!
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