Councillor Rob Mocatta explains what decisions the County and District Councils have made about parking and street restrictions as part of the town’s response to Covid-19 distancing requirements.
He also confirms arrangements for disabled parking, free parking and access to shops and discusses what consultations were conducted around the town before the decisions were finalised.
Councillor Mocatta is talking to Petersfield Community Radio’s Claire Vennis.
Hampshire County Council is accepting comments on the scheme via this website. https://www.sustrans.org.uk/space-to-move
-
-
I have really tried hard to understand the logic behind this street parking ban in Petersfield for 12 months. It is quite ludicrous with absolutely no beneficial effect on coronavirus.
I completely agree with the above – the pavements were all widened some years back and particularly in the Square the new restrictions have no effect – you can’t step off the pavement to avoid close encounters as there are cast iron railings. I sincerely hope no-one contemplates removing these as they are a historic part of the Square’s street furniture. Chapel Street is the one area that could benefit from extra space.
Absolute madness,first business tax then corvid and finally no parking.Well done the council,you certainly have killed the local shops etc.Turn waitrose car park into free parking for 2hours per car,after all it does belong to us rate payers.Learn some common sense
If we all walk on our left that is distancing enough I think.
Now we all have to cross over in the same place at end of orange railings
I feel the virus is being used as an excuse, thus eventually closing all roads in town and making it pedestrian only
Social Distancing is still really important.
1 metre should not be considered the normal. The virus hasn’t gone away. The guidance from Govt:
“From 4 July, people should either stay 2m apart or ‘1m plus’ – which is one metre plus mitigations. These mitigations will depend on the workplace or setting. For example, on public transport, people must wear a face covering, as it is not always possible to stay 2m apart.
In other spaces, mitigations could include installing screens, making sure people face away from each other, putting up handwashing facilities, minimising the amount of time you spend with people outside your household or bubble, and being outdoors.”
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do-after-4-july
With the 1m + rule surely the distance is less of an issue on our pavements now? If we can sit in a pub across a table from people we can quite comfortably walk past others in the street and there is no need for the extreme actions currently in place.
I know of other towns where similar action was initially taken to ban parking and luckily public pressure has made local councils see sense. The fact that the official council survey of opinions is via Sustrans leads me to think there is a bias towards favouring cyclists and pedestrians in the longer term.
Putting pressure on parking has already made many people reluctant to try to do their shopping in town and this will simply push more shoppers online.
Social Distancing is still really important.
1 metre should not be considered the normal. The virus hasn’t gone away. The guidance from Govt:
“From 4 July, people should either stay 2m apart or ‘1m plus’ – which is one metre plus mitigations. These mitigations will depend on the workplace or setting. For example, on public transport, people must wear a face covering, as it is not always possible to stay 2m apart.
In other spaces, mitigations could include installing screens, making sure people face away from each other, putting up handwashing facilities, minimising the amount of time you spend with people outside your household or bubble, and being outdoors.”
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do-after-4-july
Why wasn’t this implemented at the height of the pandemic or earlier. Too little too late.
Timing more than likely as more people expected back in Town with the release in part of lockdown. More children back at School for instance. During the height of the pandemic there was hardly anybody or vehicles around.
At the height of the lock down there were hardly any shops on the high street open and not many people visiting the town centre. So it could have been implemented earlier but more people will benefit now.
Many people like the convenience of being able to park in front of the shops and pop in for a quick errand or two. How many will look for a free space in Castle Street or drive round to Central Car Park and pay? How many will simply go elsewhere? Shopkeepers are desperately struggling to survive. The high street is in long term decline due to online shopping. Covid-19 has accelerated that trend. These new measures will be the nail in the coffin for some shops, all in the interest of making the streets that tiny bit safer. Shop closures, sadly, are a vicious circle. Once all the shops are gone, the high street will be utterly safe. The council needs to do all it can to support the high street, and these measures are in the wrong direction.
Having seen the parking restictions now in place I do not find them to be of any concern for anyone accept for the retailers themselves who may have to tackle delivery issues.
The previous widening of pavements and parking restrictions outside shops throughout our town has made most but not all people use the car parks or date I say ‘walk into town. Those complaining do get most of their parking fees back from Waitrose and all of it from Tesco if spending just a few pounds. The car park beyond the the old post office and Nationwide BS is hardly ever full but it does take an extramaybe e minutes to walk in; ooh.
There isn’t a shop more than 3 minutes away from ant car park in town so unless you can’t walk 3 minutes there is no issue unless the parking places are full. Those with blue badges and those whole make use of blue badge status are the ones who have brought this on them selves for constantly abusing the rules. It will be great to drive from one side of town to the other without having to navigate all the recklessly parked vehicles seen every day.
Let’s pedestrian the whole town. Oh and no cycling on any pavements at any point too. Just people to walk around.
The Lunatics are running the asylum!!!
Parking was ok before this change—all that was required was stronger law enforcement!
With regard to covid—just let people use their own common sense!!
The cost of barriers purchased or rented will cost a fortune!! Once the rest of signage costs etc will be high and soon the council will be bleating on about not having enough money!! They do not have any money–they only have OUR money that is constantly wasted!!
If these people had to run a business I am sure they would go bust!!
The issue here is that the parking restrictions currently in place clearly have nothing to do with Covid-19 – beyond the fact that the council’s parking revenue has been significantly hit. Hence, this cynical move to remove as much free parking as possible, and force people to park in places that require a payment.
The barriers in place clearly cause more issues for social distancing than they solve, and have created a large number of bottlenecks for pedestrians.