Students 'Flout Parking Rules'
News Story :: 2006-12-28 16:54:32
As a result of an audio diary we did for Radio Nottingham just before Christmas we have made contact with residents in Beeston, including those who live in the immediate vicinity of the Broadgate Park 'village' which is featured in one of the articles. Their experiences raise a number of issues about the siting and management of purpose built accommodation and how it affects residential neighoburhoods in its vicinity. The Broadgate Park situation appears to be far from ideal. It is being compounded by the fact that the University and its partner in the venture (UPP) seem to be prepared to 'pass the buck' from one to the other. It is further complicated because part of the site lies in the City and part in Broxtowe.Nottingham Evening Post, Wednesday, 27 December, 2006
Students 'Flout Parking Rules'
Students are flouting a ban on parking within two miles of a university campus, say residents.
The ban was part of planning permission to expand the Broadgate Park campus in Beeston, where hundreds of students live.
Residents of The Cloisters, a cul-de-sac backing on to the site, said students were parking outside their homes day and night.
The problem grows at weekends when boyfriends and girlfriends visit.
Householders have complained of difficulties getting on to their driveways, and cars parked on the pavement.
Retired Rex Wilson, who has lived there for 19 years, said: "We have complained to the university, contractors UPP, who look after the site, police and councils and it gets us nowhere."
Mr Wilson, 66, said pleas to the students to park elsewhere go unheard.
"There are now 2,000 students instead of 800," he said.
"One or two do get abusive and more or less tell you to get stuffed. The stock answer is, 'We can do want we want'. It has caused so much frustration."
A dustbin lorry was unable to get down the street due to parked cars and Beeston councillor Steve Carr said emergency vehicles would not stand a chance getting down Salthouse Lane, which leads into The Cloisters.
Resident Veronica Smith has put a flower trough on the pavement outside her home to stop people parking there.
Mrs Smith, 60, said: "We went out for an early Sunday morning walk and there were 30 cars in Salthouse Lane.
"Often you don't see them (the students) because they come home in the middle of the night."
The parking restriction was set by Nottingham City Council - which together with Broxtowe Borough Council gave the development planning permission.
A university spokeswoman said it was the University Partnerships Programme's responsibility if there was a parking problem.
"Residents should take evidence to UPP. We'd expect them to deal with the issue in accordance with that regulation."
Sam Bailey-Watts, Nottingham's regional UPP director, said they were aware of the problem and were working on it.
"UPP has also committed to increasing its patrols in the area in response to residents' concerns about parking infringements."
Coun Carr is backing calls for a residents-only parking scheme - but Notts County Council has had a ten-year moratorium on funding them.
lynette.pinchess