Common sense on the common
COMMON SENSE has prevailed on L’Ancresse Common, according to residents of the area.
The yellow line in the middle section of the hill leading up to The Doyle has been extended to prevent parking in the narrower section at the top.
Vale Commons Council vice-president Rosemary Henry said they were getting complaints from people having to drive on the grass in order to pass parked cars.
‘The common was getting damaged,’ she said. ‘That part of it is a slope which also makes it dangerous and we were afraid that a vehicle could slide over the edge – which one nearly did.
‘It could have resulted in people getting stuck or even rolling over. It’s also an access road for emergency vehicles. Things such as oil tankers also have to get up there so it’s important that they can get through at all times.’
Miss Henry said residents in the area and a postman had complained about the situation.
‘We spoke with Traffic and Highway Services, who acted on it very quickly, for which we’re very grateful,’ she said.
‘One of the residents has told me that it’s the best Christmas present she’s ever had.’
Trevor Hockey supported the move and said it was common sense on the common.
‘But in a way it’s a pity it had to be done because anyone with half a brain could have seen that it was too narrow to park there,’ he said.
Keyprice owner James De Lisle thought things could have been taken a step further with the removal of unrestricted parking at the bottom of the hill.
He plans to raise the matter with the appropriate authorities in the new year.
‘Some of the vehicles have been there for weeks and some are for sale,’ he said.
Mr De Lisle said he would like to see that section of road given a 23-hour parking status so vehicles had to be moved every day.
‘People working in the area have parked there before but at least the vehicles are gone at night,’ he said. ‘At the moment there are cars there permanently and at night without lights and it’s dangerous.’
He said he would also have no problem with the public car park in front of the one connected to his shop being made 23 hours.
‘The problem is that you get one car left there then another,’ he said. ‘Cars start to get vandalised and the next thing is that you have a fire which poses danger to the surrounding area.’
