New scheme eases roadworks hassle

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council initiative has been launched to make sure that residents are not unnecessarily inconvenienced by temporary parking restrictions when utility companies dig up their streets.

When companies like Thames Water or gas and electricity providers need to dig up roads to access pipes, cables and other underground infrastructure, temporary parking restrictions often have to be implemented so that parked cars do not impede or obstruct the works.

At the moment Thames Water is digging up roads across the borough as part of a huge programme of investment in replacing ageing Victorian water mains with modern pipework. 

This has led to stretches of parking bays being temporarily taken out of use in the affected areas and consequently made the job of finding a parking space more difficult for residents.

However, the council has become aware that on many days when the utility companies have requested parking bay suspensions, their contractors are not actually doing any work. This may be because their workers have been called to urgent jobs elsewhere, or projects have been rescheduled – or sometimes because the planned works have been completed ahead of schedule.

Now the town hall is urging residents in roads where temporary restrictions are in force to contact it if there is no sign of the road diggers.  If the council is notified that works are not being carried out, it will investigate and wherever possible bring the suspended parking bays back into use.

Transport spokesman Cllr Guy Senior pictured left said: "It must be hugely annoying for residents to lose their parking spaces if no-one from the utility companies turns up.

"Most people accept that these temporary parking suspensions are needed if the gas board or water company need to access their underground equipment. However they have every right to be annoyed if the restriction is put in place and then nothing happens.

"What we are saying to residents in these cases is to call us if the restrictions are operating but no work is being carried out. We will contact the relevant company, find out what's happening and if appropriate bring those parking bays back into use until the suspensions are actually needed.

"Hopefully this simple step will keep the inevitable disruption and inconvenience involved in roadworks and parking suspensions to the absolute bare minimum."

Letters explaining the new policy and informing people how to contact the town hall if they believe that parking suspensions are operating unnecessarily will be delivered to all residents of an affected area whenever the council is asked to suspend parking bays by a utility company.

For more information visit www.wandsworth.gov.uk/parking or email highwaylicences@wandsworth.gov.uk.

 

 

February 18, 2008