Wheel clamping 'only option' for cars at Cambridge beauty spot
20/01/2012
Members of a Cambridge residents association have said that wheel clamping may be their only option to stop people from parking on a local beauty spot, after a high-tech gate proved ineffective.
Residents have said that the £9,000 electronic gate that was installed by the city council to stop people parking on Midsummer Common cannot cope with the volume of traffic going through it, and is often just left open for three hours every morning.
John Lawton, co-chairman of Brunswick and North Kite Residents’ Association, said that the option of wheel clamping needed to be reconsidered in light of the gate’s inefficiency.
“There’s too much traffic and the gate can’t keep up with it,” he said. “We just don’t think putting the gate in was the priority. It’s good it’s there, but the lack of enforcement is what we have challenged you on. I still remain unconvinced the enforcement regime will be effective.”
The common has been significantly damaged by people parking on the grass to go to nearby establishments, such as the Fort St George pub or Midsummer House restaurant. The gate was meant to generally restrict access to the area to residents, but someone with access to the gated area has been leaving it open between 7:30am and 10:30am.
Alistair Wilson, streets and open spaces asset manager for Cambridge Council, said, “We are gathering information and looking at taking out a likely prosecution against one or both of the properties rather than individuals that have access and are parking on the common.”
Residents have said that the £9,000 electronic gate that was installed by the city council to stop people parking on Midsummer Common cannot cope with the volume of traffic going through it, and is often just left open for three hours every morning.
John Lawton, co-chairman of Brunswick and North Kite Residents’ Association, said that the option of wheel clamping needed to be reconsidered in light of the gate’s inefficiency.
“There’s too much traffic and the gate can’t keep up with it,” he said. “We just don’t think putting the gate in was the priority. It’s good it’s there, but the lack of enforcement is what we have challenged you on. I still remain unconvinced the enforcement regime will be effective.”
The common has been significantly damaged by people parking on the grass to go to nearby establishments, such as the Fort St George pub or Midsummer House restaurant. The gate was meant to generally restrict access to the area to residents, but someone with access to the gated area has been leaving it open between 7:30am and 10:30am.
Alistair Wilson, streets and open spaces asset manager for Cambridge Council, said, “We are gathering information and looking at taking out a likely prosecution against one or both of the properties rather than individuals that have access and are parking on the common.”
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