Since on street parking was banned in Newbury town shopping centre, many of the office workers are now parking all day on both sides of Newtown Road, leading off the roundabout at St Johns. This means that there is only room for single file traffic. When a double decker bus tries to get through, nobody else stands a chance. I have contacted both of my councillors, I think they are both Conservative and they seem totally useless and don't really understand what I am talking about.

How is the best way to convince them that this situation is an accident waiting to happen?

Suggest speaking to David Betts or Keith Woodhams as they are both in Highways committee.  

Quoted from jay

Suggest speaking to David Betts or Keith Woodhams as they are both in Highways committee.  

So who are Johnston and Tuck?

Quoted from susan

So who are Johnston and Tuck?

I think they both sit on the Planning Committee.

Quoted from susan

So who are Johnston and Tuck?

Mike Johnston is a WBC ward member for St Johns. Ieuan Tuck is a St John's ward member on Newbury Town Council. A reasonable pair to complain to about a problem in their wards.

David Betts is top man for roads (Partfolio Holder) on WBC.

Needless to say people have been complaining about this problem ever since they moved the parking there.

Quoted from susan

How is the best way to convince them that this situation is an accident waiting to happen?

Use my analogy about 'accidents waiting to happen' on another forum about the Airbus A380?

Quoted from susan

Since on street parking was banned in Newbury town shopping centre,.......

It hasn't been banned as far as I can make out... Plenty of free parking in Cheap St for up to an hour. Even more in St Michael's Road... Kings Road West (just off Cheap St) is completely unrestricted all day if you can get the bledy post office workers to give up their free parking spaces that they grab around 5am....   There are others but I won't let you know about them or you might grab 'my space'....

Quoted from susan

...many of the office workers are now parking all day on both sides of Newtown Road......

Actually I think it is rail commuters trying to avoid paying for parking in Station Road.... They moved there when P&D was introduced and haven't moved back

Quoted from susan

I have contacted both of my councillors, I think they are both Conservative and they seem totally useless and don't really understand what I am talking about.

You are Richard Garvie's wife and I claim my £5 prize.....

Quoted from blackdog

Needless to say people have been complaining about this problem ever since they moved the parking there.

You've ALWAYS been able to park there....  Really, you have..... (to clarify... there wasn't anything to stop you parking there a couple of years ago..)

Just like you're able to park all day on much of Kings Road,, or further up Newtown Road or even in Porchester Road....  They become a bit of a bug*er when you have to walk back to the railway station though don't they... So they're not the GREATEST parking places and probably aren't used much...

'They' haven't move the parking there. Rail commuters or shop workers looking for free all day parking have found a new place to nest, that's all.  

It's a minor irritation, and may or may not be linked to the increasing number of empty car parking spaces. I believe they're commuters who were banned from Howard Road/Chesterfield Road when they brought permits in. As we know, all this is to do with giving the green meanies something to do.

Quoted from spartacus

You've ALWAYS been able to park there....  Really, you have..... (to clarify... there wasn't anything to stop you parking there a couple of years ago..)

...

'They' haven't move the parking there. Rail commuters or shop workers looking for free all day parking have found a new place to nest, that's all.  

Exactly - WBC's decision to charge for parking in Station Road has moved the parking to Newtown Road.  

Quoted from Muddler

It's a minor irritation, and may or may not be linked to the increasing number of empty car parking spaces. I believe they're commuters who were banned from Howard Road/Chesterfield Road when they brought permits in. As we know, all this is to do with giving the green meanies something to do.

I can assure you that it is not a minor irritation. There must be guidance somewhere on this. by allowing parking on both sides of the road, they have effectively converted it into a single track road. Parking should be allowed on one side or the other but not on both.

Quoted from susan

I can assure you that it is not a minor irritation. There must be guidance somewhere on this. by allowing parking on both sides of the road, they have effectively converted it into a single track road. Parking should be allowed on one side or the other but not on both.

Are you a passer through or a resident. Double yellow lines on one side perhaps. In fact, let's put lines everywhere.
It may also be the case that a lot of new insurance policies don't cover you from home to work and back. Shopworkers therefore have to park away from there place of work so that they are covered.

Quoted from brian

Are you a passer through or a resident. Double yellow lines on one side perhaps. In fact, let's put lines everywhere.
It may also be the case that a lot of new insurance policies don't cover you from home to work and back. Shopworkers therefore have to park away from there place of work so that they are covered.

Double yellow lines on one side parking on the other. Simples!

Quoted from spartacus

Use my analogy about 'accidents waiting to happen' on another forum about the Airbus A380?

What a ridiculous comparison.

Quoted from susan

I can assure you that it is not a minor irritation. There must be guidance somewhere on this. by allowing parking on both sides of the road, they have effectively converted it into a single track road. Parking should be allowed on one side or the other but not on both.

I think it is. There haven't been any major accidents and at most it causes a delay of up to 20 seconds.

Quoted from Muddler

I think it is. There haven't been any major accidents and at most it causes a delay of up to 20 seconds.

Can I presume that your vehicle is one that is parked there all day every day? Or perhaps you work for our blinkered council?

I would think the owner of the merc that parks there every day will not be so keen after seeing his complete door mirror broken by a passing bus.
The bus did not stop so i guess the car owner will have to pay for a new mirror which could be more than the excess he probably has to pay.
Cheaper to park in a car park for the day would be the answer.  

A mercs new door mirror,if it is broken from the car stump wll be about £800. replacing the mirror and broken frame is about £300.
That's for a BMW.  

Broken from the stump (ouch)

Quoted from brian newman

I would think the owner of the merc that parks there every day will not be so keen after seeing his complete door mirror broken by a passing bus.
The bus did not stop so i guess the car owner will have to pay for a new mirror which could be more than the excess he probably has to pay.
Cheaper to park in a car park for the day would be the answer.  

Presumably you took the registration number of this bus and passed it on to the relevant authority. Or were you taking evasive action because the road isn't wide enough for parking on both sides?

Quoted from susan

Presumably you took the registration number of this bus and passed it on to the relevant authority. Or were you taking evasive action because the road isn't wide enough for parking on both sides?

I was to busy with a student trying to avoid the idiots who just seem to force their way through without a thought for vehicles who were already on the driving line.  

Quoted from brian newman

I was to busy with a student trying to avoid the idiots who just seem to force their way through without a thought for vehicles who were already on the driving line.  

Do I assume then that you are a driving instructor? Or were you actually conducting a driving test? In either case you are well qualified to explain to some of the posters on this forum, the problems which exist on this stretch of road.

Also being an observant person you will have taken a mental note of the bus company and the time of day. This should pin it down very closely to the bus concerned.

Having cars parking on both sides is a good way of reducing the speed of the traffic at little cost.  They should free up more twon centre roads for parking this way. No need to install speed bumps, chicanes, gatsos etc etc

Quoted from 78

Having cars parking on both sides is a good way of reducing the speed of the traffic at little cost.  

Tend to agree with you. There are some insane drivers out there who'll drive along a 30mph road at 50-60 even if it's next to a school  Only way to stop them is to introduce some temporary chicanes. Nice to be back to parking again, isn't it?

Quoted from 78

Having cars parking on both sides is a good way of reducing the speed of the traffic at little cost.  They should free up more twon centre roads for parking this way. No need to install speed bumps, chicanes, gatsos etc etc

Can we now park for free in Northbrook Street to slow the buses down?  

Quoted from brian

Are you a passer through or a resident.  .

You make a lot of assumptions in the thread but you haven't answered my question. It can be a bit difficult getting through sometimes and can waste up to 20 secs of my life. Three times a day, that's a whole minute although most of the times I go up and down I get a clear  run through. Still, at least we are able to discuss parking again.

Quoted from brian

You make a lot of assumptions in the thread but you haven't answered my question. It can be a bit difficult getting through sometimes and can waste up to 20 secs of my life. Three times a day, that's a whole minute although most of the times I go up and down I get a clear  run through. Still, at least we are able to discuss parking again.

I have family who live in Priory Road. It is the arrogant attitude of a lot of the 4 X 4 drivers who force their way through even when you have already started to negotiate the parked vehicles. They seem to think that they have the divine right and us mere mortals should make way for them.

I am not sure that 4x4s are always the bogeymen they seem to be likened to. Connie.
Obviously I have no documents to back that up.

I drive a biggish car and I am pretty quick to find reverse or pull in where possible.
I use a lot of single track roads in Norfolk and yes I am typing with all six digits.
ce.

Quoted from susan

I have family who live in Priory Road. It is the arrogant attitude of a lot of the 4 X 4 drivers who force their way through even when you have already started to negotiate the parked vehicles. They seem to think that they have the divine right and us mere mortals should make way for them.

I drive along there most days. Never had a problem. Perhaps you are oversensitive, paranoid or just plain unlucky.

Quoted from 26

I drive along there most days. Never had a problem. Perhaps you are oversensitive, paranoid or just plain unlucky.

How many wing mirrors have you managed to collect?  

Quoted from Cognosco

How many wing mirrors have you managed to collect?  

Are you calling him a bus driver?

Oh no we're getting childish on Connie's thread!  - Sorry Connie   

Quoted from susan

Do I assume then that you are a driving instructor? Or were you actually conducting a driving test? In either case you are well qualified to explain to some of the posters on this forum, the problems which exist on this stretch of road.

Also being an observant person you will have taken a mental note of the bus company and the time of day. This should pin it down very closely to the bus concerned.

I am a driving instructor and do know which bus hit the wing mirror and left it in pieces on the road. I have reported it.

Quoted from susan

I have family who live in Priory Road. It is the arrogant attitude of a lot of the 4 X 4 drivers who force their way through even when you have already started to negotiate the parked vehicles. They seem to think that they have the divine right and us mere mortals should make way for them.

Its just not just  4 x 4 drivers i can assure you. I use that road every day and have seen many other vehicles think they have the divine right to go even if there is another vehicle already making their way through.
You would be suprised at the number of "mums" who drive through with a mobile phone attached to their ear chatting away with young children in the back seats.  

Quoted from Muddler

It's a minor irritation, and may or may not be linked to the increasing number of empty car parking spaces. I believe they're commuters who were banned from Howard Road/Chesterfield Road when they brought permits in. As we know, all this is to do with giving the green meanies something to do.

Because we're usually sitting around with nothing to do are we?   I think the Howard Road residents had something to do with the parking restrictions.  

It is a fact that the P&D car parks are not as busy as they were a couple of years ago though. Are they all parking elsewhere for free?  Don't know.

Quoted from greenmeanie61

It is a fact that the P&D car parks are not as busy as they were a couple of years ago though. Are they all parking elsewhere for free?  Don't know.

Indeed, and that's with a third of the spaces removed too! And that my friend is because of you and your cretinous employers.

I went through the accused area this evening at 5.30pm and all was tickety boo. Therefore, this thread is discussing a problem that doesn't exist. Does that make it existential?

Quoted from Muddler

I went through the accused area this evening at 5.30pm and all was tickety boo. Therefore, this thread is discussing a problem that doesn't exist.

It's not "Think of the children!!" bad, but it's a bit of a stretch to say the problem doesn't exist. It's not as bad as it used to be I'd say. It was at it's worst just after they brought in permit parking in Chesterfield and Howard Road and all the rail commuters moved to this road for a while.  A number of them seem to have moved on (found somewhere else closer to the station that's free?)

Tickety-boo at 5.30pm on a Tuesday but do you go through there at 9am?  It could do with some controls to ensure that the obstructions are removed during the day.  

Can some one tell me if your able to park at Camp Hosbson, I noticed Park Way was being cut off at some point. If I can't park there where can I. I'm driveing in off the A34 Oxford side.

behind Northbrook St - big MS car park there.

Quoted from spuduka

Can some one tell me if your able to park at Camp Hosbson, I noticed Park Way was being cut off at some point. If I can't park there where can I. I'm driveing in off the A34 Oxford side.

Yes, the Camp Hopson car park is still open for use.

Pelican Lane next right after Parkway.

When we've finished with the bus drivers, how about a go at some of the taxi drivers in Newbury.

My daughter, recently becoming a mother, was out with her sister and some friends last Saturday night, or rather very early hours of Sunday, and at the taxi rank, hailing a taxi, when another taxi driver (a female one) drove past so close, she 'clipped' my daughter. Others in the group banged on the car to warn how close, as they thought she was going to be pinned against the taxi they were to get into, but this driver just continued, and failed to stop! Luckily my daughter was not hurt, and it just caught her knees!
It could well have been much more serious.

I might add, they were not seriously drunk, not acting silly, or falling about in the road, just out for a few drinks with friends. It was her first time out since becoming a mother just before christmas last. Unfortunately, no-one got the registration number of the car!

There is another (male this time) taxi driver, who works for, or with Cabco, and lives in a cul-de-sac on Turnpike estate, who drives down that road regularly at totally wreckless speeds. An area (green) where children can play, many cars are parked, and the road is fairly narrow. Needless to say he probably drives wrecklessly all the time!!

I suppose the sensible route is to report him to the taxi licensing dept., and the police.

Quoted from Muddler

And that my friend is because of you and your cretinous employers.

Me? Us? I dont think so Muddler. I think you'll find CEOs have no input into any parking restriction changes.  We are enforcement, not administration.

As the the fact that my emplyer (i.e. the organisation called West Berkshire Council) are cretinous, that may very well be true, however, they do put food on my families table so I can't really complain about them!

GM61

Quoted from greenmeanie61

As the the fact that my emplyer are cretinous, that may very well be true, however, they do put food on my families table so I can't really complain about them!

GM61

I thought Us tax payers funded the councils staff! Are you saying Nick and User etc pay for you from their pockets?

Quoted from Nobby

I thought Us tax payers funded the councils staff! Are you saying Nick and User etc pay for you from their pockets?

Only User, Nick pays council tax to another council.

Quoted from Nobby

I thought Us tax payers funded the councils staff! Are you saying Nick and User etc pay for you from their pockets?

Oh, of course, thats how the council pay structure is organised isn't it... we have to go to Nick Carters office and he pays us in coins...or perhaps I should be personally thanking you for feeding my family Nobby..

This forum is silly sometimes.  

Presumably, if GM61 lives locally, he pays Council Tax and ipso facto contibutes to paying for his own salary...  This "I pay your wages sunshine" thing is bollards.... A council employee could equally come back and say "yeah and I pay for your children's education"

A correct and excellent point well made Spartacus.  Thank you

Quoted from spartacus

Presumably, if GM61 lives locally, he pays Council Tax and ipso facto contibutes to paying for his own salary...  This "I pay your wages sunshine" thing is bollards.... A council employee could equally come back and say "yeah and I pay for your children's education"

Only if he lived in West Berks.

Quoted from spartacus

Presumably, if GM61 lives locally, he pays Council Tax and ipso facto contibutes to paying for his own salary...  This "I pay your wages sunshine" thing is bollards.... A council employee could equally come back and say "yeah and I pay for your children's education"

"I pay your wages" is always a strange statement to make given indirectly most of contribute to each others wages.

Quoted from user23.3

"I pay your wages" is always a strange statement to make given indirectly most of contribute to each others wages.

I would prefer the phrase "we pay the wages.." (hence my use of the term us). User is twisting the subject as usual, the difference with most of our employers as opposed to public bodies such as WBC/Police etc. is that you have a choice whether you use our company and contribute to our salary or go to a competitor.

Quoted from Nobby

I would prefer the phrase "we pay the wages.." (hence my use of the term us). User is twisting the subject as usual, the difference with most of our employers as opposed to public bodies such as WBC/Police etc. is that you have a choice whether you use our company and contribute to our salary or go to a competitor.

No we don't.

We have no idea who you work for and therefore have no choice as to whether we pay your wages or not.

You have a choice if you do not think the company gives good service or value to go elsewhere!

Quoted from Nobby

I would prefer the phrase "we pay the wages.." (hence my use of the term us). User is twisting the subject as usual, the difference with most of our employers as opposed to public bodies such as WBC/Police etc. is that you have a choice whether you use our company and contribute to our salary or go to a competitor.

Well, you do have to pay council tax to a local authority/police force but you can always move house and pay it to a different one so you could argue that there is some competitiveness in that respect although you will never be able to opt out from the system completely unless you become homeless.

Quoted from Nobby

You have a choice if you do not think the company gives good service or value to go elsewhere!

You've missed the point.

I don't have any choice whether I "pay your wages" or not as I don't know who you work for.

Quoted from user23.3

You've missed the point.

I don't have any choice whether I "pay your wages" or not as I don't know who you work for.

Nice deflection and a good effort at not understanding the point made. Even I could understand that one.

Quoted from brian

Nice deflection and a good effort at not understanding the point made. Even I could understand that one.

Of course I understood the point made. I just had to explain to Nobby (again) that it's not relevant on this forum as we don't know where each other work and because of this we don't have the choice not to give money to an individual poster's employer.

Nobby's back on "Ignore" by the way, he hasn't changed in a year of not viewing his posts.

Quoted from user23.3

Of course I understood the point made. I just had to explain to Nobby (again) that it's not relevant on this forum as we don't know where each other work and because of this we don't have the choice not to give money to an individual poster's employer.

Nobby's back on "Ignore" by the way, he hasn't changed in a year of not viewing his posts.

With the same attitude of Use and his employer to their customers - I don't give a f***!

Quoted from spartacus

This "I pay your wages sunshine" thing is bollards

Agreed. It's usually the argument of someone who doesn't really have an argument. At least not a well thought out one.