HOPEFUL plans to stop cars parking outside secondary schools in Laverstock have been shelved.

Motorists parking outside St Joseph’s Catholic School and Wyvern St Edmund’s has been an issue for residents for years, causing “dangerous driving, delays and pollution”, according to the parish council.

A proposed Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO) was put forward by the council and partners to try and rectify the problem quickly, introducing a controlled parking zone that would halt cars parking along Church Road between 2pm and 4pm.

Double yellow lines would have been painted at the entrances to Elm Close, the Bishopdown Path, and Bishops Mead as part of the order.

This was rejected by Wiltshire Council however, with cabinet member for transport Mark McClelland saying further consultation is needed.

Only after feedback from a consultation could a permanent Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) instead be introduced.

This has caused delays to creating the controlled parking zone as the proposed ETRO, by removing the consultation stage, would have been in place for September and the new school year.

Calling for 'flexibility'

Describing parking concerns as “a complex issue”, Councillor Nick Baker, chairman of Laverstock and Ford Parish Council, said he is “naturally disappointed” with the delay to driving measures, adding it took 18 months to get to this stage.

He said: “The issues of dangerous driving, delays, and pollution caused by parking on Church Road have been a top priority for local residents for many years.

“Although a permanent order is the usual outcome of the further consultation [Cllr McClelland] wishes to carry out, we are calling on him to be more flexible in this case and maintain the use of an experimental order.

“Only experience will show how effective the traffic measures are, and what impact they have on neighbouring streets.

“Residents therefore should have a guaranteed mechanism to give their views and decide on the future of the yellow lines after they have seen them in action.”

Problem has 'existed for decades'

Cllr McClelland however, said “there is no reason” why the normal TRO process should not be followed.

He said: “We are aware that the proposals are controversial among parents dropping off their children at the three schools in the area, and with some residents who feel the proposals could result in merely moving the problem rather than behavioural change.

“This is what the TRO process is designed to identify so that any issues are properly considered before money is spent implementing schemes.

“The parking problem in this area has existed for decades and there is no reason why the normal TRO process should not be followed to make sure we have got it right and that there is solid public support from across the Salisbury area before taxpayers’ money is spent implementing a scheme.”

ETRO or TRO?

Laverstock parish Cllr Derek Hayes, said the ETO could be used as “a sensible way forward allowing for monitoring of the impact on both residents and drivers using this route”.

“We can use ETROs to trial schemes on our streets, to understand how they work in practice. This allows us to make a more informed decision as to whether to make the changes permanent,” he added.

“Cllr McClelland, in reviewing the ETRO application, felt a TRO would be more appropriate - he was concerned that parents from further away who dropped their children off at Laverstock schools had not been consulted.”

Frustrations remain

Cllr Hayes added: “The delay caused by requiring extra consultation also means that the regulations will not be in place for the start of the next school year.

“Laverstock residents meanwhile remain frustrated by what they see as an unnecessary impediment to the need for urgent action”.

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