CABINET members will meet next week plans to discuss daytime waiting restrictions on parts of a busy Hoyland Common road.
Queen Street is a narrow street connecting Sheffield Road with Tinkler Lane and serves a number of residential properties and is in close vicinity to Hoyland Common Primary School which is located on the southern side of Sheffield Road opposite Queen Street junction.
The council say that in recent years, parents drop off/pick up parking has become an increasing problem near the school to the extent that Queen Street is becoming heavily congested and obstructed.
It is causing issues in regards to the space it leaves for vehicles while also reducing visibility.
As a result, the council has proposed to introduce waiting times on every day between 8am and 6pm on both sides of the road to match similar restrictions on parts of Sheffield Road.
Two objections to the proposals were received, one from a business owner concerned about lack of parking for their customers and a second regarding parking for residents - and they asked for ‘residents only’ parking signs to be put in place.
The report said: “By law, no individual has a legal right to park on the public highway or outside their property/business, nor should they have the expectation to do so.
“The primary duty of the highway authority, as defined by Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980, is to ensure that the public highway is safe and passable for all users.
“It should not be relied on as a parking area.
“If a trade needs an area for customer parking, then it would be expected that a business provides such parking off the public highway.
“If a business relies on customers only being able to park on the public highway, then the business is at risk of many factors affecting that road, not just parking restrictions.
“The business in question has only very recently started operating at this location and the proprietor was aware of the limited available on-street parking at the time they started operating.
“’Residents Only’ type signs cannot be provided.
“Both roads form part of the public highway/adopted highway and as such, any sign that is erected on the highway must comply with the requirements of the traffic signs regulations and general directions.
“There is no such legal sign as the one requested.
“Furthermore, as mentioned, both roads form part of the public highway and while the residents may want to keep them free for their own parking, they are public and as such, as long as the vehicles are taxed, insured and have a valid MOT, anyone can park there due to the absence of any restrictions.”
The scheme is expected to cost £7,500 and has been put forward for approval at Wednesday’s cabinet meeting.
