Dear Editor,
Gloucestershire County Council has recently confirmed that parking restrictions on Westward Road and Greenaways in Ebley are due to be implemented in the spring, following consultation earlier this year.
GCC has confirmed that the most recent revised and reduced restrictions have been abandoned in favour of the original and more extensive version. This implementation goes against assurances given to local residents prior to the construction of the Bridge Mead development that on-street parking would be maintained in order to keep traffic speeds reduced along Westward Road.
Recent congestion at the junction with Ebley Wharf has primarily been caused by no more than 3 or 4 drivers that have inexplicably chosen to park right next to the traffic lights without being sanctioned through existing powers.
One could therefore question whether or not these new restrictions were really necessary. However – we are where we are, and many locals are rightly more concerned about the knock-on effects of these restrictions on the area’s overall parking capacity.
Residents of the older housing stock in the vicinity have seen their parking capacity gradually removed over the last 25 years due to the ill-conceived and poorly implemented development in the area, with no thought given to mitigation or future use. The new houses are all catered for with driveways or garages (or both), but still this has not helped the cumulative issue with most households exceeding the capacity of what was provided.
Where does this leave us local residents of the aforementioned older housing stock? Well it leaves us wondering why Stroud District Council are sitting on an often-empty public car park at Ebley Mill without considering its simple use as alleviation for a long standing local problem.
The question over its potential use has so far gone unanswered for at least 10 years. A truly environmentally sound council would be taking the opportunity to better utilise existing unused assets and perhaps even provide electric charging points for those who would like to make a positive change but who cannot accommodate the required infrastructure. Â
Can SDC be encouraged to develop some joined up thinking, rather than just congested new build housing? Recent history suggests not, but there’s always a chance for redemption.
Yours sincerely,
Westward Road resident
