Residents' Parking Scheme

angel · Veteran Member

Residents' Parking Scheme

tracare · Chief stirrer

Hi Val

Good luck with this one

Jeremy · Veteran Member

I can empathise with anyone having problems parking in town, having lived in the High Street before now.

Date: Apr 9, 2005

I have no problems with residents' parking schemes as long as it does not take parking spaces away from anyone else (i.e the public) and the residents pay an adequate fee. After all why should tax payers subsidise people who buy houses (often privately owned houses) which do not have enough private parking spaces for their cars? Where did they think they would park them when they bough the house or car? Did they think they should be able to park them anywhere without charge? Do they really need a car or would a bike or public transport suffice?

I cannot answer these questions for anyone else but can say that when I have bought a house I have always ensured that I can house my cars on my property without impacting my neighbours or the general public. I fail to see why others who do not prioritise properly should expect others to sort out their problems.

Sorry if it seems that I'm ranting, but more and more we live in a world where everyone seems to blame anyone but themselves for their problems and then expects other to sort them out. If residents cannot find parking spaces why not either sell the car or move house?

angel · Veteran Member

Well now, let me explain a little bit of my life to you. When I was widowed, I sold my family home as I needed to support myself. I have always been a "Mum and a homemaker" - one of my children was handicapped. At the age of 49yrs, I needed to do three things. One was to support myself in a way that would not rely on the State. Secondly, was to be in easy reach of my elderly Mum-in-law and her handicapped adult son (the handicaps are entirely non related before you accuse me of breeding indisciminately). The third thing was to be near to my own handicapped son in order to support, encourage and enable him to enjoy life to the full. Geographically, Marlborough was the only place I could reach everyone, fortunately my second child was a very independent young person. Still there are you?

I sold up my home and bought a tiny cottage in Marlborough - properties with parking were too expensive for me. With the remaining cash I bought a similarly tiny town house in a much cheaper location. This was my pension, as I was not provided for. I managed to find work in Marlborough, having been trained for nothing, I now work for the NHS where unqualified staff are not that well paid. But never mind, although I earn under £7 per hour, that's a lot more than many people get.

When I came here, parking was really not a problem. There are several places in our little road. However, in affluent Marlborough, many people have several cars - some of which they now "store" in our free places, leaving me with nowhere to park. I am very pro-green policies, and use the bus to go to work - climbing steep hills by foot or bike is beyond me at the start of a busy working day. I too pay council tax, and I don't want any handouts. However, I think that low paid and "key-workers" should be encouraged to stay in towns such as ours. Many carers are required for this area to look after the elderly and the vulnerable. They need cars as we are in a very rural location. Not only do they need assistance with parking at the end of the day, but parking during the day to make calls on their clients is becoming a problem.

We have to look at the town as a whole. I could actually solve my own parking problems by taking up the kind offer of a friend - but that would not solve the problem for anyone else. I am therefore trying to look at this from everyone's point of view. If you have money and several cars - fine - pay the £500 (or whatever it is now) a year fee for a season ticket. If your funds are limited, you need to be here and you need to work - then we all have to try and help I think.

I'm sorry you feel so cross and so harshly about this and I hope I might have been able to show you that sometimes campaigns are not run entirely on self interest but for the good of the community. I have to say that I love this town and would really hate to have to move simply because of a parking problem. I'm sure, in your own way that you must love Marlborough as well - or you wouldn't be here. I like the idea that the wealthy and the not so wealthy can live side by side without prejudice. Living in such a lovley part of the world makes me feel very lucky - and most of the time very happy.

Take care Anonymous

Angel x

alicram · Newbie

Regarding residents parking....just have a few comments to make in support the scheme. Firstly, new build properties these days do not have to have adequate parking space according to current planning law. Also, in recent years it is much more common for families to have two or more cars so that family members can get to work given the virtually non-existant local public transport system. Finally, to expect low-income people to fork out thousands of pounds to move house purely because local parking has become impossible for residents is clearly unjust and counter-productive.

Not bad for someone who doesn't drive and has no car !

harry · Member

If there is to be a scheme in Marlborough it has to be policed because some people will still take the
wass name. This doesn't just mean fines, because some people have to the means to pay unlimited amount of fines, it must also include removal of offending vehicles to a pound, probably located in Devizes.

As to the why's and wherefores, some older places built before cars were invented (like some houses in Marlborough) do not have space enough to allow cars to be parked within the confines of these houses, so do need on road parking.

Marlborough needs people to live in the town, and people who live there may need cars so lets have a well policed residents parking scheme through out the town where ever there is a requirement, but also lets also provide enough parking for visitors.