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Parking puts fire engine in a jam - COMMENT ON THIS STORY
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."
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Weather for Scarborough
Saturday 26 May 2012
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