I have received the following note from the District Council. Comments gratefully received.
Members may recall the proposals to create a District Wide footway and
verge parking prohibition.
The impact would have been to ban parking on the footway or verge.
Drivers would be advised by zone entry signs as they entered the
District.
It was recognised that in a number of locations e.g., Folly Lane in St
Albans & Cowper Street, Harpenden that parking on the footway would be
necessary. At these locations signs would advise that footway parking
was authorised by placing signs adjacent to the parking place.
Unfortunately guidance from the Department of Transport advises that
unless repeater signs of the ban are in place every 30m a District wide
ban would not be authorised.
The Secretary of State’s view is that motorists cannot be reasonably be
expected to read, understand and remember the parking restrictions at
the entrance to a Controlled Parking Zone that covers an area of more
than a dozen streets.
In the circumstance the alternative is to introduce a ban on a location
by location basis.
We will shortly be advertising for consultation a footway and verge
parking ban in three places across the District.
1. Watsons Walk, St Albans – The entire length
2. Harpenden Road – Texaco Garage to Sandridgebury Lane
3. Colney Heath – The central area
Once these have been advertised we will be in a position to commence a
rolling programme of such bans.
As it is sometime since members were consulted on suitable locations now
is an opportune time to identify those areas where a footway and verge
ban is both necessary and feasible.
Your recommendations are therefore sought.
The key aspects to consider when recommending locations are:
1. Footway and/or verge parking is causing damage.
2. Footway obstructions are being caused. The rule of thumb being
insufficient space is available for a double buggy to pass.
3. There is an alternative parking location for residents.
Priority will be given to those locations that fulfil all three of the
above.