An Isle of Wight Councillor’s campaign for temporary off-street parking during the construction of new buildings for 2 Newport schools could be about to succeed.
For over 6 months, Councillor Chris Whitehouse (Conservative, Newport West Ward) has been highlighting the ‘parking and traffic nightmare’ in Newport’s Wellington Road, Hinton Road, Purdy Road, Fieldfare Road and the surrounding side roads. Over 60 car parking spaces were lost during the construction work at Christ the King College, with further work due to start soon on the nearby Carisbrooke College site.
Speaking over the weekend, Cllr Whitehouse has said:
“For month after month after month, I warned the previous Leader of the Council, Jonathan Bacon, about the traffic and parking chaos that would be caused. I organised petitions, submitted photographs of double-parked cars, and delivered survey forms to all 1,500 households in my ward. Everyone except Councillor Bacon agreed that action was needed; and I’m grateful to the new Leader of the Council, Councillor Dave Stewart, for pushing for a solution.”
A planning application for a temporary car park on part of the Vectis Field, opposite Carisbrooke Primary School and Christ the King College has now been submitted by the Isle of Wight Council.
Cllr Whitehouse adds:
“This is not an ideal solution but at least it won’t take up any of the actual playing fields, just the unused land at one end. It will immediately get 50 cars off the local roads during term time if it goes ahead which will be a major improvement for local residents and for the safety of the children who attend the five schools in and around Wellington Road.
“Sometimes, with the previous Leader of the Council, I felt I was banging my head against a brick wall, but the new Leader, Councillor Stewart, has understood the real impact this nightmare has had for my local residents, and the safety of thousands of children from Newport and the West Wight, and has acted decisively to find a solution. Let’s all hope that the planning application now goes through quickly.”
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The area used for the temporary car park will be restored to its original condition once the building works are complete.
Full details of the planning application can be found at https://www.iwight.com/planning/AppDetails3.aspx?frmId=32487.
