‘SORT THE SIGNS OUT!’
Fed-up neighbours call for action to stop park visitors clogging up street
FAMILIES in a busy residential street say their road is being clogged up by visitors to a nearby attraction.
Neighbours in Barthomley Road, Birches Head, say more visitors to Hanley Forest Park are parking in their street since Stoke-on-trent City Council introduced parking charges.
And although the authority has introduced a permit scheme on the road and traffic wardens regularly patrol the street, they say motorists still chance their luck and park there. Now they calling for the council to improve the signs informing motorists only permit holders can park there.
Debbie Yearsley, aged 56, said: “We have been given a permit free for two years.
But anybody who comes is supposed to have a visitors’ pass. People would normally park in the Forest Park car park.
“People are now parking further up the road and in Gleneagles Crescent and Kelvin Avenue, making it awkward for people to get in their drives.
“The permit signs need to be more prominent. The scheme is abused. The signage is terrible. They should make it more clear.”
Neighbour Gary Shone, aged 60, said: “Longton, Northwood, Tunstall, Meir, have all got one-way systems. This is a rat run. It is crying out to be made one-way.”
Louis Parsons, aged 27, said: “I don’t think the signs are good enough. They should never have brought in ‘pay to park’ at Forest Park.
“At least the council is giving us a two-year permit. We pay our council tax. After that two years is up, I should not have to pay to park outside my house.
“Sometimes I have had to park in a different street because I have been unable to park here. I fear it will get worse in summer as more people will use the park.”
Several neighbours, who asked not to be named, said the council has been fining motorists who park illegally on the street.
But Michael Wilkinson, aged 84, said he has never had a problem with parking in the street. He said: “There would have been a problem if they had not brought in the permit scheme.
“The signs are not very good. They ought to make it more clear with the signage and that would stop people parking here. The council is always up and down.”
Neil Watson, aged 44, added: “I don’t drive but my girlfriend does. It was going to happen as soon as they started charging to park in the park. People are going to start chancing it. But the traffic wardens are up and down, to be fair.
“If they make it a bit cheaper to park, people would not come across here.”
The Sentinel has approached the city council for a comment.