The results of the Haddenham parking survey have recently been published by Bucks County Council. It won't surprise many village residents to learn that a significant number of those completing the survey regarded roadside parking to be a significant problem, especially near the station!
Based on this analysis Bucks CC has formally proposed that:
1. The streets/parts of streets where respondents have indicated that there are parking issues and a majority support in principle for the introduction of some form of parking control are: Anxey Way, Bridens Way, Fort End, Sheerstock, Slave Hill, Townside, Whitecross Road, Wykeham Gate and Wykeham Way. These are shown in red on the plan (click on the image to enlarge the view).
2. Concern was raised about parking issues on Thame Road and Pegasus Way where parking is a particular safety issue but also where there are no affected frontages. It is proposed to advertise traffic orders for the introduction of waiting restrictions and clearway (no stopping restrictions) in January 2017 to allow for implementation in late January/early February 2017 in the areas shaded green on the plan.
3. In the streets listed in 1. (above), it is proposed to introduce sections of double yellow lines to protect access and junctions and provide passing places to ensure the free flow of traffic under the County Council's Highway Code Test procedures. The detailed design and the advertising of the traffic order will take place provisionally in February 2017 with implementation of taking place in the new financial year.
4. Streets where the results were indeterminate or indicated that residents did not have a parking issue or support parking measures (the rest of the village map) will be excluded from any further propsals.
Reasons for the decision
The opinion survey lasted three weeks and took place from the 14th October until the 4th November 2016. Respondents were encouraged to use the online survey on the Council's website and for those without access to the internet, paper questionnaires were available at Haddenham Parish Council Offices. 850 consultation documents were delivered to housholds and businesses in the study area.
The overall response rate was 47%, (401).
This response rate is better than normal for a parking consultation of this kind and the results can therefore be relied opon as being indicative of the majority view of residents and businesses in the area irrespective of whether they took part of the consultation.
Bucks CC normally considers a response rate above 25% as successful engagement. Streets or parts of streets with a lower response rate will be considered indeterminate and measures will not normally be progressed.
Based on the results, it is proposed to progress to detailed design measures in the streets where there was majority support. It is proposed to implement measures in advance of the detailed design on the access roads (Pegasus Way and Thame Road) under the Highway Code Test process where inconsiderate parking is a significant issue and there are no frontages. The remaining streets in the opinion survey area will remain unchanged and will not form part of the detailed design consultation.
County Councillor (and HPC Chairman) Margaret Aston commented:
"It is pleasing that the local community have had the opportunity to 'have their say' and have done so in such large numbers. The 47% overall response rate and the information it contains has helped scope the detailed design options. The Highway Code Test proposals will result in an early resolution to the parking issues on the entrances to the village".
Funding and Scheduling the Work
It is anticipated that Chiltern Railways will fund the implementation, however the request would go into their budget for next year, so it is likely that the village would have to wait until April 2017 at the earliest to get anything done. As Thame Road & Pegasus Way are where the highest concerns were raised in the survey, and are also the most straightforward and cheapest to deal with (as there are no residents' frontages onto the roads), it is anticipated that this part of the scheme could be done ahead of the rest, but would require funding in the current financial year.
At its meeting on Monday 5th December Haddenham Parish Council agreed to make £3,000 available to ensure that Phase I could go ahead, and it is anticipated that by the end of January / start of February 2017 this can be implemented.
It is hoped that this work can be refunded from the contribution that Chiltern Railways will make, but this will depend on the final cost of the implementation, which won't be known until the detailed scheme is prepared and further negotiations which are still in progress.
Residents who have been most frustrated by roadside parking issues can take heart that, at last there appears to be a good working collaboration between Bucks County Council, Haddenham Parish Council and Chiltern Railways – and long may this continue.
