WBC have meetings called Overview and Scrutiny Committee – Environment – the one on Monday 18 Nov at 7pm will look at Parking across the borough.
On September 30th we asked Waverley BC about CAR PARKING in Cranleigh – we pointed out that residential roads are being used for parking for some longer periods – what does WBC think about this? We stated that their CAR PARKS are prohibitively expensive for those at work all day/week/month on top of other costs for low paid workers. But the tiny roads around the garage (such as Overford Drive) aren’t the answer – they are clogged. Ideas?
Waverley BC answered – The Council has commissioned a Strategic Review of off-street parking which is about to start. The brief for this includes a review of how the Council can support local economies in the four main settlements and how it can be tailored to the individual needs of each of those settlements. A proposal has been received from the Cranleigh Chamber of Commerce suggesting how parking charges can be modified to address the parking issues for local employees and this proposal will be fed into the review. Managing on-street parking is the responsibility of Surrey County Council (SCC) and we would wish to discuss with SCC how on- and off-street parking may complement each other better in future.
WBC asked Cranleigh Society if Cranleigh people would want yellow lines or parking metres etc? How would Cranleigh residents feel if their “rates” went up to pay for cheaper or free parking? Do let us know.
They are also looking at enforcement across all problems including parking, dog fouling, litter etc. Liz Townsend mentioned that Snoxhall car park (beside the park and Youth Centre) is cheaper yet under-used. We think people may not realise it’s there or again, don’t want to pay – on principle even.
We have the following ideas to put forward to WBC and SCC
CRANLEIGH VILLAGE CENTRE – PARKING PROPOSALS
- A Full Cranleigh Parish Council Meeting on 18 April 2019 considered whether the Council should support the Business Improvement District (BID) Feasibility Report prepared by The Mosaic Partnership which was commissioned by Waverley Borough Council. This provides a framework for tackling the regeneration of the commercial centres of Farnham, Godalming, Haslemere and Cranleigh.
- Cranleigh Parish Council agreed to organise a meeting with the Chamber of Commerce to discuss the BID.
- The Feasibility Study identified a specific issue related to parking in Cranleigh. The Study states ‘The majority of businesses expressed concern about the availability of parking for workers, particularly those in the retail sector and are unable to afford the current charges’
- Cranleigh Civic Society has received many complaints from residents who have reported long term parking in local residential roads near the village centre. These cars are likely to be owned by people working in the village centre who either object to paying or who cannot afford the car parking charges for a whole day period. The congestion caused by such parking severely affects the lives of residents in these roads and often inhibits deliveries and visitors to their properties. They create hazardous blocks to sight lines.
- Having assessed the situation the Civic Society would like to propose the following possible solution.
- A survey of Village Way and Stocklund Square car parks has established that while both are well used by shoppers there are quite a number of parking spaces in both car parks which remain vacant all day. If these spaces were to be occupied by local workers on week days and Saturdays it would hopefully reduce the numbers of cars parking in residential streets or on Cranleigh Common. A full WBC day’s parking in either car park would cost £6.40 so we would suggest that a significant reduction on this amount should be considered. Permits to be displayed in car windows might be issued by the Parish Council as sanctioned by the Chamber of Commerce.
- We also propose that both car parks should be free at schools drop off and pick up times to enable wise parking by those needing to get to the Primary Schools.
We have recently observed the installation of posts all along the Common which stops parking on it.
thanks for reading all the way down – do let us know your views please.
