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One-woman protest ‘saves’ grass verge
Melissa Turner protesting on the grass verge outside her house in Dogsthorpe Road. Picture: David Lowndes/Peterborough ET
A one-woman protest stopped Peterborough City Council in its tracks and saved a patch of grass in Dogsthorpe.
Workmen began a project to pave over the grass verges in Dogsthorpe on Thursday – horrifying Dogsthorpe Road resident Melissa Turner.
She was so incensed she set up her deck chair on the green spot immediately outside her house, stopping the workmen from removing the verge.
She said: “When I moved in, in 1998, all the verges were green and perfect but now they are all muddy and horrible because people park on them and drive over.
“Why can’t we all look after them? If they are paved over it looks industrial.
“It needs greenery and flowers and trees to make it a nice neighbourhood.
“I was perhaps more upset that nobody had told me anything about it before hand.
“We get all kinds of leaflets from the council telling us stuff but we didn’t hear anything about this.”
The decision to pave over the verges was made by Dogsthorpe, East and Park Neighbourhood Committee which is also funding the move.
It came after several residents complained over a number of years that the verges were being ripped up and were an eyesore.
But after Mrs Turner’s mini-protest on Thursday, the council workers did not turn up outside her house on Friday and during the day it was agreed to leave the verge immediately outside her house.
A council spokeswoman said: “A project is underway to pave a number of grass verges in the Park Ward to resolve issues around verge parking. This was agreed in consultation with ward councillors and funding was approved by Dogsthorpe, East and Park Neighbourhood Committee.
“The lady in question asked for her verge not to be paved and we have instructed our Highways team to leave this verge out of the programme.”
Councillor Pam Kreling, who supported Mrs Turner with her complaint, was delighted with the decision.
She said: “It is good news that the grass will be saved. She looks after it herself and will continue to seed and care for it.”
John Davis, of nearby Mayfield Road, was cheered by Mrs Turner’s protest.
He said: “We are badly let down by both the police and the council when it comes to inconsiderate parking. This includes parking outside schools and on walkways.
“I have contacted both authorities and it’s like talking to the wall. Well done to this lady. We need more people like her and the authorities might take notice.”
What do you think?
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Wednesday 23 May 2012
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Comments
There are 16 comments to this article
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Brian Gascoyne
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 10:41 PMDid someone say it was a Neighbourhood Committee decision? Bringing "democracy" to the people? Don't make me laugh! They need scrapping altogether and save the ratepayers of this city well over £1m+ a year. This case is a prime example. So who is going to go back to the Neighbourhood Committee and say "Your stupid decision was overturned by the residents you claim to represent?" I think I might go to the next one and see if any fur flies or whether someone is thrown in as a scapegoat to take the flack whilst the rest do an impression of Pontius Pilot!
henry
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 08:18 PMGlad you made it!
NicLab1
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 06:01 PMThis is a real problem, epecially in the centre of town. Further down the street their are houses with no front drives, so where do they park?. I think planning should be sought to knock away front drives and concrete over them and where it is allowed residents should ensure they: a) Keep of the verges - or if this is not possible... b) Be asked to replace the grass lost in thei own front garden to keep the drainage in the area and keep up the greenery. Tarmacing does look worse and criss cross solutions are expensive. So a delicate balance needs to be made by councillors to give long term solutions.
doesitmakeadifference
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 05:15 PMFiona...did you slag off the Tories? cos if you did you got no chance of it getting past the Reader Police..Hehe.....
Fiona Radic
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 03:12 PMI submitted a comment about midday, but it still hasn't appeared.
Mavis Enderby
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 03:02 PMBamboozler@5 - You are right. I think the problem is this: Councillors usually accept what they are told by Officers but Officers seldom accept what are told by Councillors. It is all a bit like "yes minister"! There is often a procedural excuse that can undermine any initiative from any politician. Who do you think really runs the Council? Marco, Gillian or the conclave of departmental chiefs?
doesitmakeadifference
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 12:51 PM@8....Prosecute!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! you having a laugh? Inner Dogsthorpe has had a parking prohibition for around 4 years and its not done a lot of good because officers like Peter Gell, who oversee it, don't give a monkeys. He spouts off about his super smart car but he only sends it to wards whose councillors shout the loudest and longest. I have said before that on average Dogsthorpe has around 15 to 20 cars paked illegally over a weekend..and does Peter Gell do anything about? does he heck as like. As long as he gets a few tickets here and a few there and 100's in the town centre he thinks he has done a wonderful job.Its about time everybody wrote to Peter Gell and told him what they think, might be a chance he gets the message, but I doubt it. Hope you all get to read this but it depends on the reader police being as I have mentioned the main problem by name..heres to it then..
Covposh
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 12:50 PMThe problem is the" I'll park my car where I like" brigade. No respect for double yellow lines or people's driveways.As long as you leave your emergency hazard lights flashing you're ok!!!!!
Donttellhimpike
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 12:27 PMNice work Melissa. Shame on your neighbours for ruining a public amenety. I think the city council should prosecute people who park on verges - is churning up our verges not criminal damage?
MarchMan
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 11:29 AM"Melissa Turner for Mayor" I say!
bari666
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 11:20 AMGood for you - standing up for what you want and believe in - so pleased you had the right outcome! Go girl!! x
Bamboozler
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 10:13 AM#4 - Perhaps it is not Conservative maladministration. After all, they don't actually do any administration, do they?. It is the bods in the office who are employed under whatever political group is in charge. They don't usually have councillors standing over them whilst they work. Maybe, admin confused with a religious meaning!
Ed MurPhy
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 09:41 AMCouncil backed a motion to protect verges, so the cllrs on the neighbourhood committee go ahead with a plan to spend your money to pave them over. Conservative Maladministration.
Bamboozler
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 09:25 AMGood for you Melissa. The problem is two fold, yes, some inconsiderate, but mostly just too many cars these days. Three car families are commonplace now. Don't know how they afford it!
rebel woman
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 09:11 AMGood on yer. Stand up for what you believe. I have never lived in Dogsthorpe but as a 50 something Peterborough born woman I can always remember Dogsthorpe for being green with wide roads and lots of open spaces. Don't spoil it.
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