As regular readers of these pages will be aware there have been a number of issues associated with vehicles driving into the public footpath and parking outside the shops on Middle Street in Blackhall Colliery - with some incidents resulting in near misses for pedestrians and others using the footpath. The most recent background information can be found in the articles published previously on these pages:
Monday 19 April 2021: https://robcrute-blackhall.blogspot.com/2021/04/parking-in-middle-street.html and
Saturday 11 June 2022: https://robcrute-blackhall.blogspot.com/2022/06/report-from-environment-committee-mhpc.html
I spoke over the weekend to concerned resident who reported another near miss last week when a vehicle pulled onto the pavement before straightening up to park parallel to the shops. It’s reported by the person I spoke to that they were almost hit as the vehicle crossed the public footpath.
It goes without saying that vehicles shouldn’t be allowed to drive over a public footpath so some time ago I worked alongside the parish council clerk and officers from the highways authority to draw up plans within the county council’s Towns & Villages programme which would prevent vehicles from driving fully onto the pavement or parking along the double yellow lines outside the shops.
That scheme was endorsed, fully funded and ready to go ahead when the Tory-led Coalition currently in control of the county council decided to review the Towns & Villages programme - and then ultimately call a halt to the entire Capital Programme which would have seen measures installed in Middle Street to prevent vehicles from accessing the footpath. It was acknowledged in the scheme of course that access would still be required for delivery vehicles and those drivers who need close access to the shops.
I have written again to the council today reiterating those concerns on behalf of residents and businesses about parking and illegal access to the footpath. I’ve asked specifically for an update on what the Coalition’s plans are for the Towns and Villages programme (and the Middle Street scheme in particular) and I’ll update as soon as I have a response.
In the meantime I’ve also asked that the council’s Parking Enforcement team gives this issue more attention in the coming weeks and months.
