Responses to: Inaction on Market Days re New Market Street closures

The following four responses have been received: two immediately:

From Sgt Rupert Johnston

In relation to the issue on Market Days, former Councillor Colin Williams brought this issue to Council last year. In November 2011 I arranged a meeting between the different Stakeholders, inc SLDC Highways, parking enforcement, market officials, town Cllr's etc. The meeting was chaired by Insp. Kevin Spedding. It was established that the current Traffic Prohibition Order that covered Market days was not enforceable and therefore needed to be revisited.

It is my understanding that the Town Council were to take this forward and I was present at a Town Council meeting when the Council decided on a preferred option following a presentation by Victoria Upton from Highways. This option involved a permanent reversal of the traffic flow on Brogden Street and a Traffic Prohibition with only limited exemptions i.e. emergency service vehicles. The signage was also to be renewed so that on-street parking could be enforced by the wardens.

I am aware that funding was an issue but I do not know the current position. Once the legislation is in place the Police will enforce it and I assume that the SLDC parking enforcement officers will do the same.

Sgt. Rupert Johnston
Ulverston and Lakes NPT

Tel: 101
Ext: 58536

From Cllr Colin Pickthall

In reply to your e-mail about traffic on Market Street, it is of course a long standing concern, which has not been resolved yet because of the need for new signage, which has to solve the problem of those who have legitimate reasons for moving in and out of New Market Street.  You may not know that at a recent Town Council meeting Inspector Spedding told us that he had given appropriate wording for new signs to the County Council, and we are now awaiting their determination.  You may not have seen the article in the Evening Mail a couple of weeks ago, where Cllrs John Clough and Judy Pickthall were highlighting the need for the problem to be solved.

It is, as you well know, a very difficult matter to resolve, largely because too many drivers disregard or brush aside any barriers that are put up short of armed road-blocks.  The dangers to pedestrians on Market days, and throughout the week along the bottom end of Market Street, are clear to everyone apart from the barm-pots who park as they like and drive as if brain-dead.  It is astonishing that no-one has been seriously hurt.  So the matter IS being addressed and will be resolved, though not, of course, as rapidly as you would like.

Might I gently and quietly suggest that the insulting references to councillors on your blog, and elsewhere, hardly encourage co-operation, or even responses.

Cheers,

Colin Pickthall.
Geoff : The article referred to above by Cllr Colin Pickthall is to be found here in the Evening Mail on August 16th
Quote" Councillor Judith Pickthall, deputy mayor of Ulverston, said: “This can be solved and will be solved but as ever these things take time.”

One from Cllr John Clough next day, Saturday.

Hi Geoff

I totally agree with everything you have said in your mail, and you are just one of many residents who have approached me about this very same issue.
We have discussed this at nearly every Town Council meeting I have attended since I became a councillor in May. I don't wish to be to critical here but Cumbria County Council and the Police when asked, or written to by Ulverston Town council about this matter are very reluctant to act or do anything quickly that can resolve the issue blaming by laws, bad signage, who can, and can't enter Market street on market days etc, etc.
CCC are, and have been since July this year responsible for providing an enforcement officer to deal with the traffic problems (I don't mean a car park attendant) within Ulverston town centre but you know as well as I do, you don't see one most days.
May I also state the Police do not patrol the areas enough especially on market days and deal with drivers who are clearly obstructing other drivers and parking half on half off the pavement so pedestrians are forced off the pavements into the traffic, which is one of the most inconsiderate, and common pieces of bad driving you can see on a daily basis, woman with small children and push chairs should not have to go around a badly parked vehicle, or a vehicle which is causing a major obstruction.
I can state this quite clearly as I am in town almost every day of the week and see the carnage that happens, especially on Thursdays and Saturdays.
Along with my fellow councillors I will commit to try and get this sorted one way or another and no doubt we will be discussing the matter yet again about by laws and whos responsible for what at the next and subsequent council meetings.

Regards Cllr John Clough.

One today Monday, from David Parratt, the Town Clerk :

For information, Cllr James Airey will be updating the Town Council on this
issue at their meeting this evening.

In order to implement the necessary restrictions that have been agreed, the
relevant Traffic Regulation Order needs to be enforced. Before this can be
done, consultation has to be carried out with a number of stakeholders -
CCC, SLDC, Police, Emergency Services, Market Traders & Shop Keepers,
Disability Groups and so forth. Issues related to the Market Charter also
need to be addressed. There will be a significant change in signage and
there will be a cost. It is agreed that the present situation is
unacceptable and that the necessary restrictions need to be brought into
force as soon as possible. However, this is a complicated scheme and will
take a while to be implemented.

Regards,

David Parratt
Town Clerk
Ulverston Town Council
Tel 01229 585778