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Published Date: 15 January 2009
By Sophie Barley
RESIDENTS have urged council bosses to improve parking after a fire engine became stuck between parked cars.
Scarborough Council is proposing to ban cars from parking on parts of St John's Avenue and St John's Road following complaints.

Karen Punter, of St John's Road, called the fire brigade after her house caught fire in November.

She said: "I very unfortunately had a fire in my kitchen. I believe that although there was some damage, it would have been less had a the fire brigade been able to get into the street easier.

"They could not turn off St John's Road until people moved cars from on both sides of the corner. I think the double yellow lines need to be the length of another car on both sides of St John's Avenue so that no-one else ever has this problem."

The fire caused damage to the oven and smoke damage to the kitchen.

In her letter to the council, Mrs Punter said: "I hope you take this seriously. Even though no-one was hurt at my house, I wouldn't like to think it could happen again to anyone else in the future."

Another resident, Monica Hindle, said: "It was very frightening to see the fire taking hold, while the fire engine was stuck down the road.

"When I was taught to drive I was taught never to park anywhere that might restrict visibility. The position of parked cars on the corner restricts the view of drivers trying to turn from St John's Avenue into St John's Road. I would appreciate some action on this as soon as possible."

In the report John Riby says: "At the junction when two vehicles park opposite each other there is a problem with the narrowness of the road and the accessibility of large vehicles especially emergency vehicles.

"The introduction of the prohibition would allow large vehicles to enter St John's Avenue, straighten up and then proceed."

The new restriction would stretch from St John's Avenue's junction with St John's Road to a point 15 metres west of that junction.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service's head of business risk, Colin Chadfield, said: "We would support any measures that make it easier for us to get to premises. Fire engines are big and people forget that. We would ask people to think carefully before parking their car."

l What do you think? Email us: letters@scarborougheveningnews. co.uk. Write to: Evening News, Aberdeen Walk, Scarborough, Y011 1BB. Text us: Text the word SENEDITOR and send with your message to 81800 (25p charge plus standard national rate. See terms in Public Notices)

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  • Last Updated: 15 January 2009 9:14 AM
  • Source: Scarborough Evening News
  • Location: Scarborough
 
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Ken Watkinson,

Scarborough 15/01/2009 10:20:12
I thoroughly agree with the comments already made. We have, unfortunately in these modern times, more vehicles on the road than was planned for when the streets and roads were constructed. I remember living in a street where the motor car was a luxury and only the wealthy could afford one (our street in particular only having the odd one or two). Since then, the car has in some ways become a necessity thus filling the streets with at least one vehicle per household. To add to the difficulty there has been the introduction of the "Parking Bays". Where double yellow lines used to be seen at road junctions giving what was the compulsory 15 yards/10 meters clear way, parking bays suddenly appeared, not only up to a junction but also on its corner thus restricting the view to the driver of any vehicles that may be approaching from other directions. It has become a game of "Russian Roulette" on some street junctions (the Dean Road Avenues to name but a few) whereby to see if its clear to continue you have to put the majority of your vehicle into the main road before you are able to see if its clear to proceed. Some junctions are made worse by the parking of vans, although parked legally they are left right on the junction making it even harder to see if the "coast is clear" to proceed. A bit more thought should have been used when planning out these parking bays especially on the road safety aspect and its prevention of accidents.
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English like wot she is meant to be spoke,

15/01/2009 11:28:08
Right Ken. Too many of these narrow streets allow parking too near the corner. The problem is especially bad where large vans are parked. And that is not taking account of the illegal parking, on yellow lines, across the pavement, etc. Remember, it could be your house burning down, or your children waiting for the ambulance.

Not a problem unique to Scarborough but, like so many others, it seems to be worse here than anywhere else.
3

Shrek,

15/01/2009 11:32:33
There is a problem on that street and the same with Hampton road too. It isnt just by residents but shoppers and workers who use those streets because there isnt a parking permit area
4

heavensentmum,

15/01/2009 12:06:26
Any guesses as to the time scale for permit parking being introduced on those streets?

Introduced for the sole purpose of Residents safety.lol
5

Pip Alderson,

15/01/2009 17:57:15
Same goes for lower Northway which runs off to Gladstone Road,i dread to think if a fire occured down there.Theres been many a wing mirror knocked off cars with motorists driving down there,not much hope of a fire appliance getting down there.
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Amaroo,

Scarborough 16/01/2009 00:02:50
This has been going to happen from the day parking bays were marked out and double yellow lines removed on corners and junctions. As already commented on.

I am surprised it has taken till now for it to happen.

Odd streets have a left or right turn at the junction but you can only get one car to the junction due to the parking bays, hence uneccessary tails backs.

But this is Scarborough so say no more where traffic control in any form is a problem.
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