Call for action on pavement parking
Students are being blamed for inconsiderate parking and turning pavements on a busy Bath road into a “car park”.
Residents have called on people living at Twerton Mill – Bath Spa University accommodation on Lower Bristol Road – to stop parking on the pavement outside the building.
Last month, Twitter user @Jimofbath called on iq Student Accommodation, which manages the student block, to clamp down on the problem, which he said was posing a “serious danger” to the public.
Twerton councillor Tim Ball said people who parked there illegally should receive a statutory notice and/or a fine, while a Bath resident said the parking left no space for pushchair or wheelchair users.
Bath Spa University said it expected its students to adhere to parking regulations and iq Student Accommodation said it was investigating with the Twerton Mill team.
@Jimofbath initially tweeted: “Hi @iqstudents, please ask the residents at your Twerton Mill, Bath site to stop parking on the pavement out front (it is them).
“The fact they have to park in that manner is a clear indication it’s not a suitable spot.”
In response, iq Student accommodation tweeted: “Thanks for letting us know Jim! We’re investigating this now with our Twerton Mill site team.”
Jim replied by posting a video of cars parked on the pavement outside Twerton Mill.
He tweeted: “Thank you. They’re still parking there as of this morning. It’s posing a pretty serious danger to the public.”
@Op-idler tweeted: “Great parking outside Twerton Mill on Lower Bristol Road in Bath. No room for pushchairs or wheelchairs. Ever since this place went up the pavements have just become a car park.”
Mr Ball said this had to stop. He added: “This parking has got totally out of hand. Not only are they parking both sides of a busy highway, causing a danger to drivers and pedestrians, they are also parking in the bus depot site.
“Twerton Mill is a zero car site; it’s time the operators clamped down on this parking situation. As local councillors, Sarah Moore and I have asked for any car parked illegally to be issued with a statutory notice and/or fine.”
A Bath Spa University spokeswoman said: “As a responsible neighbour, Bath Spa University expects students to adhere to parking regulations.
“In all cases where cars are parked illegally Bath Spa University will support local residents, the police and local authorities to take all reasonable and legal measures against motorists that infringe parking restrictions.”
Twerton Mill has 277 study bedrooms.