Lack of money threatens Marlow residents' wish for end to ticket dodgers parking in their street

6:15pm Wednesday 8th July 2009

By James Nadal

A LACK of funds threatens to stop residents being granted their wish for an end to town centre parking ticket dodgers clogging up their streets.

Agitated residents from a trio of adjoining streets in Marlow - Penwood Road, Westwood Road and Harwood Road – want a change to parking restrictions because they say it has become “one big car park”.

Parking laws have been more strictly enforced after Wycombe District Council took over responsibility in October from Thames Valley Police, which gave the job a low priority.

Commuters, shoppers and parents and pupils at Sir William Borlase’s School in West Street have started using the three roads to park in order to dodge wardens in the town centre, they believe.

The group of householders submitted a 60 page document to Buckinghamshire County Council parking manager John Charlton in June.

It followed a meeting at Christ Church United Reformed Church in Oxford Road, Marlow, where townsfolk expressed dismay about the impact parking clampdown in since October.

Richard Pearson, 68, a magistrate of Harwood Road, who chaired the meeting in June said parking was worse than it had ever been since he moved to Marlow in 1966.

“We want to make it clear to the authorities at BCC that there is a serious problem - we are all living in a car park now,” he said.

Organisers said another problem is the lack of spaces for emergency vehicles such as ambulances to park.

Mr Charlton said he had been inundated by around 500 requests for parking restriction changes across Wycombe District but the concerns of the affiliate of Marlow residents would be considered as part of that process.

An informal and a formal consultation will take place but a lack of money could prove a stumbling block, he admitted.

Buckinghamshire County councillor Doug Anson is examining alternative ways of funding and Marlow Town Council could also be asked to contribute money, he said.

Mr Charlton said “every effort” would be made to address residents' concerns “once the money is available” and inspections will be carried out in each area.

One of the key concerns raised by residents from the trinity of Marlow streets was the hazards posed by vehicles being left on the corners of roads and at junctions.

They proposed double yellow lines should be painted in these areas to prevent parking and improve safety.

Mr Charlton said: “If a safety concern is raised we will address that through a different way.”