Agenda item

To consider a petition seeking the introduction of Limited Waiting restriction along Beal Lane, between Jubilee Street and Cheetham Street.

The Panel considered a report concerning a petition that had been received requesting that the Council place limited waiting restrictions on the north side of Beal Lane, Shaw, between Jubilee Street and Cheetham Street. The petition asked for restricted parking in this section 8am – 6pm Monday to Friday except for 3 hours. The stated purpose of the petition was to allow the shops to trade whilst preventing warehouse workers parking on the roadway when there was free off-road parking available to them within the confines of the warehouse premises.

The report responded to the petition. The length of Beal Lane where Time Restricted parking was being requested was currently free of parking prohibitions, and was regularly occupied by parked vehicles. The minimum road width required for two-way traffic (comprising of mainly

light vehicles) to pass safely, was 5.5 metres and the current parking

situation obstructed the two-way flow, forcing motorists to operate an informal ‘Give and Take’ system. This resulted in traffic queuing back to the

roundabout at the nearby Distribution Centres, or motorists operating a bullish

attitude by ‘barging’ their way along Beal Lane.

The Panel were informed that the nature of the residential properties along Beal Lane (terraced with no off-street parking) generated a high demand for on-street parking. If measures were introduced to prevent this, it was highly likely that any proposal to introduce controlled parking bays would meet with strong objection and would be unlikely to be successful. In view of this, the Highway Authority did not support the introduction of time restricted parking along Beal Lane, Shaw.

The Panel noted that a panel made up of a Highways Authority Officer and Ward Councillors had met on 29th January 2019 to consider the petition, when the Ward Councillors had disagreed with the Highways Authority view and wished to support the petition.

Three Petitioners addressed the Panel and explained the implications for their businesses and homes of the current lack of parking restriction. Parking for up to three hours had been requested to give customers time to visit the hairdressers and local shops.

The Highways Officer addressed the Panel and explained the main issues with regards to the proposals were in relation to sight-lines and road width. Introducing restrictions may be seen as condoning parking in a way that would not enhance the safety of the highway.

The Panel asked questions of the Highways Officer and the Petitioners, and they were given the opportunity to ask questions of each other.

Both the Highways Officer and the Petitioners were given the opportunity to sum up their case.

Options considered:-

1. Support the Petition

2. Not Support the Petition

The Panel requested that the proposal be introduced on an experimental basis to monitor its effectiveness and were advised that although it was not possible to make an experimental order, it would be possible to make an order which remained in force until a specified date.

RESOLVED that the petition be supported and the relevant Executive Director be recommended to make an order for 12 months, to restrict parking to three hours from the end of the current “no waiting” area at the junction of Beal Lane and Jubilee Street to the bus bay on the eastbound side of Beal Lane and Cheetham Street.