My Garston - Local News Magazine for Garston, Herts

RESIDENTS SPEAK OVER PARKING PROBLEMS

Garston residents have voiced their opinions concerning the ongoing row over parking outside the parade of shops on the Kingswood Estate.

Following My Garston’s article last month, which highlighted the concerns of shop owners over plans to implement a maximum one hour parking stay, residents have been quick to give us their response to the situation. For those who may not have seen our last issue, shop owners on the parade of North Approach are at loggerheads over proposed plans by the council to remove the unlimited parking that is currently in place and instead, as mentioned above, make it one-hour parking. This proposal has outraged Phil Pickersgill, owner of taxi firm Kingswood Cars, as not only does he sometimes have his cabs parked in the North Approach bays, but he also lives around the corner. He told My Garston last month that parking on his road was already difficult enough. Owner of Archers hardware store Terry McGill is one of the shop owners who is in favour of the restrictions, as it means he can get more customers through the door over the course of the day. With opinions spilt, readers of My Garston have joined the workers in expressing their views on the parking situation, and after an incredible response, it seems that the divide in opinion continues throughout the whole area. One resident who wrote to us, Mrs G. Dorsett, is very much against the proposed plans, as she is one of many who need to park up for a longer period of time when visiting the hairdressers. She said: “I have been visiting these shops for over 35 years and would hate to see parking restrictions.” As mentioned last month, the proposals for limited parking times will also be accompanied by a disabled bay, which has no time-restriction placed upon it. One letter we received, which was not named, supported this plan as he or she was a disabled resident and he visited the parade’s post office often. They told My Garston: “I have lived on the Leavesden Green Estate for the past 27 years, and I use the Kingswood shops often, particularly the Post Office and the Chemist. I would welcome a fairer parking system at the shopping precinct. I am registered Disabled and during last summer I wrote to the Council about my concerns on the lack of parking at Kingswood Shops. The Taxi's there need to find somewhere else to park, the many times when I have had to circle round the block waiting for a space to become vacant I have counted up to nine taxis parked up and double parked.” So it appears, that much like the shop owners themselves, views are very much split between residents too. Another Kingswood resident, who works shifts, stated that they had never seen a problem with the current system and wondered why altering it had even been considered. He said: “I live very close to the shops I have never seen any real problem with the parking apart from Saturday mornings when some customers have to park further along North Approach.” One thing is for sure, until the council confirm plans for this development, the argument is likely to stretch on for some time.use the hairdressers to have my hair highlighted and this can take up to three hours, sometimes longer if I am having more done. So no, I would not like restricted parking. “I do pop in the hardware store but am only usually a few minutes, so this is why restricted parking would not affect the shop’s business. I have been

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