Bring council staff to book, says Trowbridge library user

5:00pm Sunday 17th February 2013 in Trowbridge By Craig Jones

John Fairbrother in the car park section intended for library users John Fairbrother in the car park section intended for library users

A driver is claiming that Wiltshire Council staff are using free parking spaces meant for Trowbridge’s library users.

John Fairbrother, 67, of Alderton Way, regularly uses the library, inside County Hall, but constantly struggles to find anywhere to park.

He says council staff use the 66 spaces intended for visitors to the library, which opened at the council’s HQ last September, replacing the one in Bythesea Road.

He said: “It’s been like that since it opened and, when you try to find out who is responsible for this mess and lack of planning of any kind, no-one appears to know. You try various departments or individuals, who all pass the buck.

“Staff all come out with council tags around their necks to their cars, which are parked in visitors’ spaces. According to their parking wardens, they have no authority to issue fines, as it’s private land.”

Mr Fairbrother has raised his concerns with Wiltshire Council.

He said: “They said they will get back to me, but haven’t. It’s just a shambles and what they have done is make a beautiful library but never planned for the new customers or existing workers who have moved to the building.”

As part of a cost-cutting exercise, the council is closing many of its buildings, leaving just three main hubs, including County Hall, to reduce maintenance and energy costs. It claims the project will help save more than £85 million over the next 25 years.

Trowbridge Town and Wiltshire Councillor Graham Payne said: “People have been complaining to me a lot about this, especially this week as it’s half-term. I have been beating away on this issue since it (the library) opened.”

“Staff need to understand the ground rules and we need to ensure parking attendants apply the rules when necessary.”

A Council spokesman said: “We apologise to any member of the public who has been unable to park in the 66 spaces provided and we ask them to bear with us “We now have a civil enforcement officer to ensure public parking and disabled spaces are kept clear and we will monitor the situation closely and continue to advise staff not to occupy the visitor parking bays.”

Comments (9)

6:20pm Sun 17 Feb 13

beetawix says...

“Staff need to understand the ground rules and we need to ensure parking attendants apply the rules when necessary.”

this does not help much. the staff understand the ground rules ok, but choose to ignore them and get away with it.
you have plural parking attendants? what are they currently doing to fill their day instead of applying necessary rules.
“Staff need to understand the ground rules and we need to ensure parking attendants apply the rules when necessary.” this does not help much. the staff understand the ground rules ok, but choose to ignore them and get away with it. you have plural parking attendants? what are they currently doing to fill their day instead of applying necessary rules. beetawix

7:35pm Sun 17 Feb 13

Wazook says...

Surely this gentleman doesn't drive from alderton way it's just a brief walk
Surely this gentleman doesn't drive from alderton way it's just a brief walk Wazook

11:17pm Sun 17 Feb 13

User123456 says...

As with everything there are two sides to this. I work at county hall and have not parked in a visitors space since moving there to work but agree there has been a distinct lack in planning for parking for staff and visitors. Staff spend for the lucky ones either a few minutes or up to an hour to park their car just to be t work. I have parked on residential roads and created my own spaces in the areas designated for staff but parking is a huge issue at county hall and this has been raised with councillor s and during staff forums also. At present I do not think there has been a solution for this which is infuriating as staff there is a few issues which remain an issue for the over a 1000 employees who are trying to get to work and do their job. I empathise with members of the public who share our issue with parking and agree there needs to be a practical solution such as dead space located near county hall to be purchased to create further parking to help the issue.
As with everything there are two sides to this. I work at county hall and have not parked in a visitors space since moving there to work but agree there has been a distinct lack in planning for parking for staff and visitors. Staff spend for the lucky ones either a few minutes or up to an hour to park their car just to be t work. I have parked on residential roads and created my own spaces in the areas designated for staff but parking is a huge issue at county hall and this has been raised with councillor s and during staff forums also. At present I do not think there has been a solution for this which is infuriating as staff there is a few issues which remain an issue for the over a 1000 employees who are trying to get to work and do their job. I empathise with members of the public who share our issue with parking and agree there needs to be a practical solution such as dead space located near county hall to be purchased to create further parking to help the issue. User123456

12:36am Mon 18 Feb 13

beetawix says...

Wazook wrote:
Surely this gentleman doesn't drive from alderton way it's just a brief walk
I think he probably does arrive in a car unless he requires the space for some other purpose. The 'short' distance from Alderton Way is possibly irrelevant ; it may be part of a longer journey or there may be heavy items to transport. Perhaps there are walking difficulties beyond a certain distance.
[quote][p][bold]Wazook[/bold] wrote: Surely this gentleman doesn't drive from alderton way it's just a brief walk[/p][/quote]I think he probably does arrive in a car unless he requires the space for some other purpose. The 'short' distance from Alderton Way is possibly irrelevant ; it may be part of a longer journey or there may be heavy items to transport. Perhaps there are walking difficulties beyond a certain distance. beetawix

9:21am Mon 18 Feb 13

moonrakin wurzel says...

Ah... I live not far from County Hall and I am really annoyed by actually illegal parking that forces me to park a considerable distance from my house on a regular basis.

The Council is wasting piles of our money on ill conceived and damaging parking schemes.

http://www.wiltshire
times.co.uk/news/102
31767.__180k_Wiltshi
re_parking_overspend
_predicted/
Ah... I live not far from County Hall and I am really annoyed by actually illegal parking that forces me to park a considerable distance from my house on a regular basis. The Council is wasting piles of our money on ill conceived and damaging parking schemes. http://www.wiltshire times.co.uk/news/102 31767.__180k_Wiltshi re_parking_overspend _predicted/ moonrakin wurzel

11:06am Mon 18 Feb 13

Grumpyoldgit99 says...

I would agree that it is often difficult to park outside County Hall when using the new library. I never had any difficulty parking outside the old library.
I would agree that it is often difficult to park outside County Hall when using the new library. I never had any difficulty parking outside the old library. Grumpyoldgit99

4:17pm Tue 19 Feb 13

norville says...

moonrakin wurzel, although annoying unless the cars aren't taxed or mot'd there's nothing illegal parking them outside your house
moonrakin wurzel, although annoying unless the cars aren't taxed or mot'd there's nothing illegal parking them outside your house norville

9:33am Wed 20 Feb 13

The.Central.Scrutinizer says...

There is ample room on Saturday. I suggest that no-one goes on a weekday and everybody goes on Saturday.
There is ample room on Saturday. I suggest that no-one goes on a weekday and everybody goes on Saturday. The.Central.Scrutinizer

8:45pm Wed 20 Feb 13

moonrakin wurzel says...

norville wrote:
moonrakin wurzel, although annoying unless the cars aren't taxed or mot'd there's nothing illegal parking them outside your house
Actually - it amazed me - but - but it's a restricted access road correctly signed under the Road Traffic Acts.

Schedule 2 of TSRGD (2002) gives for signs 620 "Except for Access"

"Vehicles requiring access to premises or land adjacent to the road are exampted from the prohibition conveyed by the associated sign"

In other words - if you aren't visiting a property in the road / a resident then taking a motor vehicle up it is breaking the law - and that includes parking there.

The council's deeply stupid car park policy is to blame for just about all the issues....
[quote][p][bold]norville[/bold] wrote: moonrakin wurzel, although annoying unless the cars aren't taxed or mot'd there's nothing illegal parking them outside your house[/p][/quote]Actually - it amazed me - but - but it's a restricted access road correctly signed under the Road Traffic Acts. Schedule 2 of TSRGD (2002) gives for signs 620 "Except for Access" "Vehicles requiring access to premises or land adjacent to the road are exampted from the prohibition conveyed by the associated sign" In other words - if you aren't visiting a property in the road / a resident then taking a motor vehicle up it is breaking the law - and that includes parking there. The council's deeply stupid car park policy is to blame for just about all the issues.... moonrakin wurzel

Comments are closed on this article.

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