Agenda item

To consider the outcome of a review of parking in Esher, Claygate and Hinchley Wood and some changes to parking, waiting and loading restrictions.

The Local Committee resolved to:

            (i)        The county council’s intention to introduce the proposals in Annex 1 and to introduce double yellow lines on West End Lane, Esher, around the inside of the bend approximately opposite the western access to the Prince of Wales public house, to improve visibility and safety around the bend, is formally advertised, and subject to statutory consultation.

           (ii)        To authorise the Parking team manager in consultation with the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Elmbridge Local Committee and the divisional Member for Esher, to decide whether or not to proceed with a parking permit scheme in Hillbrow Road, Esher and a parking restriction in Carrick Gate, Esher, based on the feedback received in the consultation, as detailed in 2.4-2.5.

          (iii)        If objections are received the Parking Strategy and Implementation Team Manager is authorised to try and resolve them;

         (iv)        If any objections cannot be resolved, the Parking Strategy and Implementation Team Manager, in consultation with the Chairman/Vice Chairman of this committee and the county councillor for the division, decides whether or not they should be acceded to and therefore whether the order should be made, with or without modifications.

Reasons for decision: the waiting restrictions in this report will help improve road safety, improve access for emergency vehicles, refuse vehicles, buses and service vehicles ,access for shops, facilities and businesses, reduce traffic congestion and better regulate parking.

Declarations of Interest: Councillor Tim Oliver declared a personal interest as he was a patron of the Wheatsheaf public house.

Officers attending: Adrian Harris (Parking Engineer)

                                 Peter Shimadry (Senior Engineer (Highways)

A public question received from Mr John Cruddas, a resident of Esher, was taken at this point on the agenda.  The question and response is attached as Annex F.

Before putting his supplementary question, Mr Cruddas explained that the Wheatsheaf was no longer a ‘local’ pub, residents were already having difficulty finding parking spaces in the relatively less popular month of February and that the pub did not appear to be attempting to encourage patrons to use public car parks. He asked given that the officer had referred to the necessity for balance and compromise, did he not feel that the situation favoured the pub to the detriment of residents and the potential value of their properties and whether the issues should be referred back to councillors and residents for further consultation.

The Parking Engineer said his recommendation was in line with the Committee’s Parking Strategy.  The Senior Engineer explained that the Local Committee was funding a study to look at the Lammas Lane junction and parking would form part of that discussion.

Members’ comments included:

·         The officer had been asked to look at the parking outside the pub as part of the review

·         They had sympathy with the residents

·         The issue would be considered as part of the wider work of the Esher Transport Study

The Parking Engineer introduced the report explaining that 190 responses to the consultation had been received and meetings had taken place with ward Councillors and Claygate Parish Councillors.  In addition as detailed in the report a further consultation was going to take place in Hillbrow Road, Esher on the idea of parking permits in the road.  Depending on the outcome of the consultation Carrick Gate might then be looked at again. 

Members’ comments included:

·         Most issues had been covered, but there was concern about the bend in West End Lane

·         Concern that not many extra parking places had been found in this review

·         Concern that people did need to park and whether the increase in double yellow lines in Lammas Lane and West End Lane really necessary

The Parking Engineer agreed to provide details of the number of extra spaces created as part of this review.

Councillor Tim Oliver proposed and the Chairman seconded an addition to recommendation (i), to introduce double yellow lines on the bend in West End Lane.

The Local Committee resolved to:

            (i)        The county council’s intention to introduce the proposals in Annex 1 and to introduce double yellow lines on West End Lane, Esher, around the inside of the bend approximately opposite the western access to the Prince of Wales public house, to improve visibility and safety around the bend, is formally advertised, and subject to statutory consultation.

           (ii)        To authorise the Parking team manager in consultation with the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Elmbridge Local Committee and the divisional Member for Esher, to decide whether or not to proceed with a parking permit scheme in Hillbrow Road, Esher and a parking restriction in Carrick Gate, Esher, based on the feedback received in the consultation, as detailed in 2.4-2.5.

          (iii)        If objections are received the Parking Strategy and Implementation Team Manager is authorised to try and resolve them;

         (iv)        If any objections cannot be resolved, the Parking Strategy and Implementation Team Manager, in consultation with the Chairman/Vice Chairman of this committee and the county councillor for the division, decides whether or not they should be acceded to and therefore whether the order should be made, with or without modifications.

Reasons for decision: the waiting restrictions in this report will help improve road safety, improve access for emergency vehicles, refuse vehicles, buses and service vehicles ,access for shops, facilities and businesses, reduce traffic congestion and better regulate parking.