A report by the Director of Technical Services advised the Committee of the current situation regarding pavement/verge parking in Wirral and provided an update on the progress of the introduction of the second phase of the pilot scheme restrictions. The report also contained the outcome of discussions with Merseyside Police and Pedestrian Forums on proposals to deal with pavement obstruction caused by inconsiderate parking.

At a meeting of this Committee on 18 November 2009 (Minute No. 31 refers), Members had been advised that the roads approved for the introduction of pilot restrictions had been divided into three manageable phases for legal and administrative purposes.  The first phase had been introduced in December 2008 on the following roads:

  Kings Lane, Bebington  (Kings Road to Old Chester Road)

  Teehey Lane, Bebington  (Higher Bebington Road to Kings Road)

  Kings Road, Bebington  (Borough Road to Kings Lane)

  Holm Lane. Oxton  (Talbot Road to Oulton Close)

  Bayswater Road, Wallasey  (Newport Avenue to Greenleas Road )

  Woodchurch Road Prenton(Holmlands Drive to Osmaston Road)

Feedback from Members and local residents had been positive and the restrictions had generally been accepted as an improvement to the immediate streetscene. 

The Committee noted that the second phase of pilot restrictions was proposed for the following locations:

  Townfield Lane, Oxton  (Bidston Road to Shavington Avenue)

  Storeton Road, Oxton  (Woodchurch Road to Ingestre Road)

  Frankby Road, Frankby  (Blackhorse Hill to Newton Park Road)

  Greasby Road, Greasby  (Upton By Pass to Frankby Road)

  Leasowe Road, Leasowe  (Heyes Drive to Reeds Lane – south side only)

  Pensby Road, Pensby  (Gills Lane to Whitfield Lane)

A summary of the outcome of the consultation process and compliance to date in each of the roads where restrictions were introduced was set out in the report.

The Committee noted that there were various prevention measures available to deter pavement/verge parking including the installation of bollards, guard rails, high kerbs and raised planters.  A number of these measures had been used, in exceptional cases, in the Borough; however, installation costs and their visual effect on the Streetscene ruled them out as a general solution.

Following discussions with Merseyside Police, they had confirmed that they would continue to issue Fixed Penalty Notices because it was an offence under Regulation 24 Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 to park a vehicle at night without lights on a road with a speed limit in excess of 30 miles per hour.

In many locations across Wirral even on roads that did not satisfy the criteria for introducing parking restrictions, pavement parking was still causing an obstruction problem for users of the pavement.

In roads where parking a vehicle half on the road and half on the pavement was generally acceptable because of limited off street parking provision there was no intention by Merseyside Police or the Council to restrict this practice.  In certain  ...  view the full minutes text for item 18