Craster Parish Council – Parking Sub Committee

 

Notes for Council Meeting 14 April 2016

 

 

1.      Following the approval of Terms of Reference by the Parish Council at their last meeting the Task Force has taken action on 2 fronts:

 

·         Survey by Henry Cummins

·         Follow  up with Northumberland County Council (NCC)

 

2.      Survey   Henry Cummins will speak to the results of the survey of residents of Craster that he has been carrying out – an initial report is attached at Annex, which makes clear that there is some further work on the ground to be done before the full results are available.  The Task Force considered that while businesses should also be surveyed (Henry has agreed to do these as well, once the residents survey is complete), it was important that the views of residents should be clearly established first.

 

3.      NCC   Cllr Michael Craster has been in contact with Neil Snowdon (NS), Senior Planning Officer, asking

 

·         Whether the number of days that the Turn field is allowed to operate as an overflow car park can be increased (hopefully to 365 p.a.), charges to be aligned to those of the Quarry.

·         If so it could enable the employment of a parking attendant/warden.  Could that person have the authority to also act as traffic warden throughout the village, thereby relieving NCC of the need to find an enforcer?

NS is expected to respond within the next week.

 

4.      The initial results of the survey show conditional majority support for a residents parking scheme for the village.  There is however markedly less enthusiasm for paying.  In earlier discussions NCC suggested that the first year of any such scheme could be free to allow everyone a chance to try it out.  The Task Force feels that there is a strong case to be made for subsidising the following 3 years from Parish Council reserves, meaning that residents would have 4 years’ experience to decide whether they were prepared to pay thereafter.

 

5.      Councillor Brooks is resuming contact with her earlier Cornish contacts to update their experience of parking schemes in coastal villages.

 

6.      The Task Force wholeheartedly believes that there should be a roundabout at the entrance to the Quarry car park, where it could be made clear that access to the village is for residents/deliveries/public service vehicles only.  At the same time there should be no right turn on the Turn bend into the Turn field.  All traffic should go on to the roundabout and return back to the overflow car park.

 

7.      The Task Force fully supports the introduction of a 20mph speed limit within the village (from the “new roundabout” on), while having concerns as to how it will be observed, and believes that there should be a 30mph limit from the bottom of the Tower bank.

 

8.      Finally, and very importantly, the Task Force believes that one key element in the successful resolution of the parking problem in Craster is the extension and refurbishment of the Quarry car park, with particular attention to the access.

 

 

 

 

Cllr Michael Craster

Chairman Craster Parish Council Parking Task Force                                    13 April 2016

 

 

 

                                                                                                            Annex – Parking Survey Craster Village as at 12 Apr 16



Parking Survey – Craster Village – as at 12 Apr 16

•82% complete – 27 out of 149 properties yet to respond.
•Commentary analysis to follow.
•Observations:
•Bogue Road – broad support for parking restrictions on West side.
•Turn/Geordie’s/Scott’s Field – broad support for increased planning consent. 220 days to cover the year.
•Speed limit – muted majority support for 30mph at Tower Bank and 20 mph at TIC.
•Quarry – broad support for refurbishment and capacity increase, and for renovation of disabled parking.
•Residents’ Parking Scheme – muted majority support, provided no additional cost, blue badge use and improved enforcement. 24/7/365 strongly supported, 33 Residents’ and 27 Visitors’ Permits forecasted – total 60 @£15 ea = £900. Reducing the Precept is a complex and unfair option – direct refunds should be considered.
•Broad recognition of the dangers of displacement.
•Broad discontent with National Trust and English Heritage.
•Broad support for better signage at TIC and in Quarry.
 

 

Residential Use

Second Homes

Holiday Lets

Not sure

Total Homes

Permanent Adults

Residents' Vehicles

Blue Badges

South Acre

9

1

2

4

16

17

13

1

Heugh Wynd

18

1

2

8

29

34

27

6

Heugh Road

17

0

3

8

28

27

17

5

Church St

3

2

1

3

9

5

4

0

Whin Hill

5

3

9

4

21

8

4

1

Haven Hill

2

0

4

0

6

3

2

1

Norwell Brow

3

0

0

0

3

6

5

2

West End

0

1

6

0

7

0

0

0

Dunstanburgh Rd

4

5

16

0

25

8

6

0

Chapel Row

2

1

2

0

5

4

3

0

Total

63

14

45

27

149

112

81

16

42.30%

9.40%

30.20%

18.10%


14.30%