Street isn't safe, say residents (From Stroud News and Journal)

Street isn't safe, say residents

HOUSEHOLDERS in Minchinhampton say their street has become a danger to pedestrians since double yellow lines were removed.

Problems have arisen in Tetbury Street because parked cars are making the road so narrow.

Vehicles are constantly mounting the pavement and large vehicles have been unable to get down the street since the lines on one side of the road were removed in February.

At last Monday's parish council meeting residents also complained that they could not get access to their garages or park to load and unload their cars.

Sarah Athey, 44, who lives in the road, is one of those who opposed Gloucestershire County Council's decision to allow parking there and says she fears for her son's safety.

"My father was pushing my two-year-old son Jack along in his pushchair and I had to pull him out of the way of a passing van - if I hadn't he would have been hit by the wing mirror," said Ms Athey, a management consultant.

"We have to dive into the side of the pavement when a lorry or coach comes.

"The council is reluctant to make any changes and the police insist it is safe but I would challenge them to walk along that stretch of road without feeling uncomfortable.

"The council says it has introduced on- street parking as a traffic calming measure, but surely there are other ways of doing this."

John Lindsay, of the county highways department, said the reason for the changes was twofold.

"We want to encourage vehicles to slow down and provide more parking in the area," he said.

"We are waiting to hear from the parish council. If after public consultation it said it would like on-street parking to be removed then that would be a possibility."

Minchinhampton Parish Council is to write to Mr Lindsay to arrange for him to do a site visit and talk to residents.