Victory Park

[David Whipp]

Together with other councillors, I've had lots of concerns expressed about cars in Victory Park in recent weeks.

During the day, parking by people working at Bankfield is causing big problems, whilst during the evening, boy-racers are razzing round some of the grass and leaving massive amounts of litter in front of the pavilion.

This week I met with Rolls-Royce’s facilities manager and I hope that the day time issues will be tackled with a series of measures which will be implemented in the next few weeks.

Problems of parking at the park have escalated due to an increasing number of people working at the Rolls-Royce Bankfield site. The company is running a shuttle bus service from its Ghyll Brow site, where there’s adequate parking, but some of the people working at Bankfield choose not to use the park and ride service and park at Victory Park.

The problem is particularly acute in the early afternoon when morning and afternoon shifts overlap. The increase in parking in the park is so great that it’s feared it causes a risk to park users at times.

Rolls-Royce and the council are working closely together to resolve the problem. This will include some parking restrictions in the park together with identifying nearby additional off street parking.

It’s hoped that this will help resolve problems. Work is expected to take place in the near future. We’ll be keeping a close eye on what happens and taking further action if needed.

It’s great that Rolls-Royce are employing more staff in Barnoldswick. We’ll continue to work with them to sort out any issues arising from this expansion.

We have agreed a series of measures which will hopefully address problems. It’s intended that these actions will be carried out in the near future.

Parking areas will be marked out to define appropriate parking spaces and double yellow lines and hatching put down to indicate where people should not park. In addition, speed restriction roundels will be marked on the driveways. Signage will be erected to reinforce speed limits within the park. Also, signs will be put up to try and reserve parking in front of the pavilion for genuine park users.

These measures will hopefully help to control the parking problems and create a safer environment. If these restrictions are ineffective, the council will consider amending bye-laws to toughen enforcement of restrictions.

A barrier will also be erected by the stream before the ‘grasscrete’ car park. This will be locked shut on the days that the skip is positioned in that area for road sweepings.

In order to reduce the risk that controlling parking in the park moves the problem onto surrounding streets, part of the lorry park off West Close Road will be marked out for day-time car parking.

Rolls-Royce will continue to exhort people working at Bankfield to use the shuttle service from Ghyll Brow. The company is also taking forward plans to expand the parking provision within the Bankfield site using areas where old buildings have been demolished.

In respect of anti-social activities by boy-racers, I’ve once again highlighted the issue to the local neighbourhood policing team and asked for better enforcement in that area.

The local area committee of Pendle Council will be considering the issue of taking the parking in front of the pavilion out of use in an evening further at its next meeting.

The whole of the above will be discussed at the next area committee meeting, which is on Tuesday 3rd December. However, I'm’m hopeful that some of the work will already have been carried out by that date.

[Whyperion]

I though large employers ( with the County Council ) had to produce workplace travel plans , there was a Morning Transdev Keighley bus service ( mostly for Slientnight ) , that seems to have dis-appeared from there website , and the lack of evening buses to / from Skipton direct must also be a problem.

[David Whipp]

Next Tuesday’s area committee is in Earby at the Mount Zion Baptist Church (pedestrian access off Water Street). The meeting starts at 7pm, with the Victory Park item about 2/3rds of the way through the agenda.

I'm not expecting anyone dissenting from the action we're taking on the Rolls-Royce parking.

Where there is a dilemma, I think, is the issue of taking the parking area in front of the pavilion out of use in an evening. It may be unworkable in practice.

My preferred solution would be to put a barrier across the driveway and stop cars going past the fenced games area. But the residents living in the park quite reasonably oppose that, as it could cause delays for emergency vehicles.

So we’ve been looking at preventing access to the pavilion area directly off the drive in front of it. As well as bollards, this would need a barrier along the grass bank. So far, so good. (Though the barrier would be difficult with the fair if they continue with the fireworks event.)

The problem would be managing locking the area up following legitimate use by clubs using the pavilion etc. Whilst the area is open, folk using the park for other things (dog walking etc) might park there. What would the key holder do if there’s a strange car left when they are going home?

There’s a risk that the area would be left unlocked (or alternatively, that we have some angry dog walkers!). Either way isn’t very satisfactory.

Suggestions welcome!

[Stanley]

Dragon's Teeth that allow a car to drive out but not come in. (The metal teeth embedded in a trough that can be retracted at will by a key holder@'
Have a look at this LINK, it might give you some ideas.

[David Whipp]

Thanks Stanley.

Ken Hartley emailed with the same suggestion earlier this morning.

[plaques]

Dragons Teeth. Used on both Asda and Tesco car park entrances. I'm not sure what the liability position would be if someone tripped over them in the dark. How about a bit of bluff quoting health and safety access.