THE SHORTAGE of parking spaces in Hedon causes persistent controversy in the town and is the subject of regular discussions at the town council. Several ideas have been raised in the last twelve months to try and alleviate the problem. A proposal to encourage local drivers to leave their vehicles at home and instead use a local council funded mini-bus service to get into Hedon town centre, got little support or interest in a public poll when the majority of the 8% of residents who took part rejected the idea.
However, the council intends that its latest proposal to extend the car park at the old railway station yard does get more public support and can attract external funding. The £57,000 scheme currently under investigation, if it went ahead, would see up to an extra 15 new bays to complement the existing 14 spaces already there.
But Councillor Terry West, who originally identified the area at the old station yard as a possible site for an extended car parking area, believes much more can be done there than is currently on the table.
Using plans from the old Humberside County Council dating back to the 1980s Cllr. West discovered that the council-owned land behind the old station buildings was once earmarked as an amenity area, it is twice the size of the existing car park area and he believes another 40 – 45 space car parking area could be built there.
Cllr. West, says he has a very pragmatic proposal: “If we really want to make a difference to parking in the town and be able to justify imposing restrictions or shorter stopping times at other parking areas, then we need to have alternative parking facilities available. The whole of the East Riding council owned land at the railway station yard site could be used to create a major new parking area – and a bigger project would reduce the unit cost of each new parking bay constructed.”
“This wouldn’t need to impact on the old historic railway building on the site, but would use existing surplus land. I imagine it being quite a rustic car parking area preserving the history of the place. As well as providing an alternative to parking in the town, it would also be used by those exploring or walking the old railway track and local countryside.”
“Those using the railway car park on a visit to the town centre would need to make a short 5-minute walk to reach the town and so this might offer a disincentive to those used to parking nearer to their destination or place of work. But the incentive is that it would mean more spaces available in the town centre for customers and shoppers.”
Cllr. West referred to the recent survey conducted by his town council colleagues councillors Mike Bryan and Di Storr which revealed that around 350 parking spaces around the town centre are taken up everyday by local traders and their workers. “The aim would be to encourage those currently parking in town to use the additional bays created at the railway car park,” he said.
Councillor West, who is a UKIP member and candidate for the East Riding of Yorkshire Council elections in May, says he plans to take his broader vision for developing the new car park to the Hedon Town Council for further discussion and investigation.
Wow, there must be an election on shortly, all these councillors coming out of the woodwork with grand schemes.
What about the land on Magdalen Lane next to Watson Park that no one wanted houses on.It,s doing nothing,would make a more central car park while making Magdalen Lane safer.
The land you are referring to is known as Whytchcroft and as far as I am aware Hedon Town Council believes this and other parcels of land should remain as green spaces ‘as they are important to maintaining the character of our ancient town and should be
protected as they enhance the setting of the town’s unique
heritage assets.’
Do we want an acre of tarmac around the old Station ?
The Station car park is not fully used even now ( just look at the pics). It could do with some improvement, but £57k is lot to spend on a facelift. What there isn’t, is a need for 40-50 more spaces there.
Our problem in Hedon is not so much the lack of spaces, but the illegal parking which goes on. Often there are plenty of spaces in Johnsons Corner or the Station Car Parks. But its deemed a little too far away when you’re just “popping into the square”
A big car park at the Station wouldn’t change this – proper parking enforcement would !
Hedon has grown and outlying residential areas are a long walk from the shops/post office/bank etc. The Council should also be taking into account its pedestrian residents, particularly the elderly and young in this too, not just drivers.
The free shuttle bus service could alleviate traffic and provide a service to all the pedestrian residents too. And more cycle racks in the centre would be good move too.
Before we create an acre of tarmac at the Old Station, which wont solve the problem, the Council should reconsider the Shuttle Bus as a solution to our urgent traffic and parking problems. A solution that could be trialled quite quickly.
I, too, wish the shuttle bus proposal had got further. But with such a pathetic response from the community, really the council couldn’t do much more. Everyone needs to work together on this one, not just wait for ‘someone to do something’.
The message here is – ‘softly softly – catchee monkey!’ Demand too much and you’ll likely get nothing at all.
Cllrs. Mike Bryan, Di Storr and I have already given this scheme a great deal of time and attention and are making forward progress towards securing the funding for what may be regarded as the first phase of the Station Car Park Scheme.
The present plan is to make the existing car-park into a much more user friendly area, and whilst doing so create more parking spaces there than currently exist. The cost has been estimated at £57,000 to just achieve that !
ERYC budgets, like everyone else’s are very tight for such projects, so several other funding avenues are also being investigated.
If the scheme is proven to be a success, and the spaces are well used, then we propose a second phase, ie opening up the remainder of the land at the station.
At the moment, we are at the point of submitting a petition from Hedon’s shops and businesses to officers at County Hall, This has shown the traders’ full support for the scheme, of which East Riding officers need to see evidence if they are to push the project forward.
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We will provide updates as necessary..
Cllrs John Dennis, Mike Bryan and Di Storr.
I like the idea of making it look attractive for people starting the rail trail here. Just need to make sure there are spaces for them! And yes, please do preserve the site’s historic features (otherwise Dr. Beeching will have won, again!).