Ventnor residents have objected to increasing double yellow lines along a narrow street where many people park their cars.
The Isle of Wight Council is looking to introduce new parking restrictions around the seaside town to increase safety for all road users.
One scheme in particular, on St Catherine Street, has caused an uproar with 141 objections submitted against the plans — with only 16 supportive comments.
If approved, the existing double yellow lines would be extended, removing parking in most areas to allow emergency and waste vehicle access.
A petition was started by residents to stop the proposals and public meetings were held to campaign against it. In comments submitted to the council, one resident said the proposals represented “a complete lack of understanding of the needs of not only residents but the wider Ventnor community.”
They went on to say it would exacerbate the already dire need for parking by pushing more vehicles into an already overcrowded parking system in other streets.
They said it would also cut parking for visitors and shoppers, which would drastically reduce the viability of the town’s businesses as they try to recover from the pandemic. Others said the parking acts as a natural traffic calming measure which help makes the road safe.
If the parking was removed, there were fears the road could be turned into a rat run with vehicles going faster.
Some alternative suggestions have included introducing a parking permit system or removing the pavement from one side of the road to widen the carriageway.
Of those who support the proposals, comments said the roads was hazardous and dangerous to people and ‘no parking’ restrictions should have been enforced years ago.
The authority says it has tried to keep the extent of the restrictions to a minimum to save as many parking spaces as possible.
However, it also says it has a duty to ensure road users’ safety and the movement of traffic so some spaces needed to be removed.
The council’s cabinet will decide next Thursday (9th February) whether to go ahead with all of the schemes, only some, or none of them.
> Others said the parking acts as a natural traffic calming measure which help makes the road safe.
Hahaha, someone must alert professors of urban studies!
All bow to the almighty car owners!
> Some alternative suggestions have included […] removing the pavement from one side of the road to widen the carriageway.
Right… cars already take 80% of space there so the solution is to… wait for it… give them more!
No, no, we totally don’t have problems with motonormativity in UK, not at all, why you ask?
This looks like a cute little street for neighbourhood parties and BBQ, where residents could be asking city for benches, flower and veggie pots and fight to keep it safe for their kids to cycle on 3-wheelers safely outside of bin lorry hours…
Instead they fight to park a car few feet from their doorstep… in a nation already beating obesity charts in Europe…
Really?
Why can’t we have nice things?
Many countries don’t even allow to park like that on a road unless it’s an emergency. But in UK that’s “a calming measure” for some while others would love to remove the pavement, LOL.
I’d go slightly further and just fine anyone who’s outside a car at all there. You’ll have to jump from your car straight through a window into your house but hey, no more pesky pedestrians, those people with legs are the worst.
Double yellow it, and while the paints still hot get over to cowes, three gates rd where the twat that parks his green pick up full or wood needs doubles painting, then shoot down Pallance rd, the cocks that park both sides of the rd at the bottom needs the same treatment!!
Then get over to Great Preston Road, Ryde and put a Stop to the Twat who parks
their yellow car on the pavement.
Is there room for a fire engine to get from one end to the other with the parked cars in situ?
A hose is long and narrow. So nice of you to be so concerned over ‘others’ safety.
What about a removal truck?
Wow ! According to the photo, looks like any vehicles coming would have to mount the pavement to get past the parked ones ! How stupid is that. The road should have NO PARKING at all, how would a fire engine get through ?? Stupid ignorant car drivers. No thoughts for anyone but themselves… BAN PARKING on all Island Roads.. !! Build some multi story car parks.
And the Blue badge holders can walk?
Most of them do. These days the blue badge scheme is mostly abused.
Most of them do!
Smaller cars can get through without mounting the pavement. I say just remove the pavement on that side. One is enough, it isn’t like it is busy there..
Why do so many people have a car, when there is no where to park ? That’s like buying a boat when one lives in a desert !! What is wrong with peoples legs… lazy ignorant people.
Spoken like the type of idiot who does not work and if they do do not use public transport and no doubt cannot drive …. As most of the houses in Ventnor were built prior to a motor vehicles being a commonly owned necessity no driveways or garages were built the only consideration was for two horses to be able to pass … are residents to be given free parking passes for all Ventnor car parks or financial awards for the devaluation of a property you cannot park within half a mile of
Many people rely on cars to get to work because lord knows the island public transport is not fit for purpose, so un-accommodating! Unfortunately unless the council wakes up and designates areas for parking what are people supposed to do! You’d soon moan about those on benefits for not going to work or being independent.
When 15 minute cities or C40 cities arrive on the island,
vehicles will be a thing of the past.
Double Yellow lines are required down many Island Roads.
Safety is imperative for everyone.
Too many lazy B’stards think they have a right to park on pavements.
Clamp them, them tow them away.
Pavements are for pedestrians, not ignorant individuals.
I was going to buy a house in that road but the narrow layout and the ‘fighting’ for parking spaces put me off. The road is too narrow for cars to be parked. The council should extend the double yellows the entire length of the road, both sides. That would stop the curtain twitching. Only disabled motorists should be able to park there.
Well the issue is the width of the vehicle and obstruction, not the condition of the driver. A car isn’t magically narrower because there’s a blue badge in the window.
Persons should not be able to reject to Road Safety.
Road Safety is imperative for everyone.
Councils do not place lines for the fun of it, so many of the
Islands roads are in need of Double Yellow Lines being placed.
Great Preston Road, Ryde to name a few.
Old Rd in East Cowes in many places is like this: no pavement for pedestrians at all, cars going fast (there’s a magical “slow down” painted that somehow doesn’t stop anyone, go figure paint isn’t the best infrastructure) and… cars can still park there, forcing pedestrians even more onto the literal centre of the road to dodge cars if they want to walk to Waitrose for a quick morning shop of fresh bread. And then drivers get angry that pedestrians are walking on the middle of a road, ffs. It’s ridiculous. I have no idea how such road in a middle of a town can pass any safety checks.
If I had a car I didn’t want anymore I would definitely park it in St. Catherine’s Street, Ventnor. Then let South Street crush it.