Council takes action over ‘horrific’ parking close to country park
VISITORS WERE BLOCKING ROADS AND PATHS WITH THEIR CARS
RESIDENTS who live near to Gedling Country Park have described the parking situation there as “chaos” in recent weeks.
Nottinghamshire County Council has recently placed signs and cones in Spring Lane, where the park is located, instructing visitors not to park their cars on nearby streets.
It comes after video footage showed a woman having to go into a busy road with her pram to get around one of the parked cars.
Residents who live in Hartland Drive, an estate just off Spring Lane and located next to the park’s entrance, say the situation was becoming increasingly dangerous before the council’s intervention.
Nic Williams, 42, who has lived in Hartland Drive for just over a year, said: “It’s been absolute chaos.
“I can’t say I mind people parking in front of my house too much.
“But they’ve been parked on the corner of Hartland and the main road and we’ve had cars reversing out dangerously, it’s been really bad.
“If an ambulance or fire engine wanted to get through over the last few weekends, they would have had no chance.
“I’ve no issue with people coming to the park, of course, and I understand people parking nearby, but something did have to be done.”
Meanwhile, Clair Cunningham, who has lived there for four years, told the Post: “It’s been horrific.
“Cars have been parking absolutely anywhere they can, the street sign has been hit and damaged on more than one occasion. A lot of families, parents with kids and pushchairs, have had to walk into the road because of it.
“A lot of the cars don’t even bother to check the car park - they just turn into Hartland. Then, when we go to the park, there are actually spaces.
“It’s been really bad since March this year. There have only been a
We’ve had cars reversing out dangerously, it’s been really bad.
Nic Williams
couple of cars that have used Hartland since the cones have gone down though, which is a good thing.”
She added she believes there should be a 30mph speed limit on Spring Lane.
Another Hartland Drive resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “The problem was that it was becoming very dangerous because of cars parked on such a busy road.
Simon Colley, 48, said: “People couldn’t get onto the road and were trying difficult manoeuvres.
“I think they need to put double yellows on Spring Lane personally, but the cones have worked so far.
“Obviously, people are going to visit the park, but it was just getting worse and worse.
“It’s been particularly bad in the last couple of months, probably because of lockdown and Tier 3 - so I expect it to stay busy.”
Councillor Michael Payne, county councillor for Arnold North and deputy leader of Gedling Borough Council, said: “I’m pleased the county council and Via East Midlands responded positively to the concerns about inconsiderate parking on behalf of residents on the Spring Park estate, adjacent to Gedling Country Park.
“I understand the frustration and real problems inconsiderate parking on Hartland Drive, Seaton Way and nearby roads has caused for residents living there, which is why I pressed for parking restrictions, including the temporary ones now in place.
“I urge everyone to follow the restrictions and park considerately and safely using the car parks at Gedling Country Park. Residents will now be consulted on a more permanent parking restriction scheme, which will hopefully be implemented in the near future and should go some way to tackling the problems faced by local residents.”