Fears bad parking on Peterborough street could lead to 'tragedy'

Residents have said they fear a tragic incident could occur because of the situation on St Margaret’s Road in Fletton.

One resident said that earlier this month, a fire engine was blocked in as a result.

"Should an emergency vehicle, be it fire or ambulance, be needed, I fear that it would be tragic"

Sarah Palir said: “At approximately 9pm, I had a fire engine with blue lights get stuck outside my house. It was stuck because of the way people park on the street, effectively blocking the way to the point even an ambulance would struggle.

"People are parked on double yellows, blocking the corner by parking on the path and parking on both sides of the road leaving only a small gap that normal cars struggle to get through.

"This has become a regular problem as well as people using our street and Wooton Avenue /Victoria Street as cut throughs to avoid the traffic lights.

"The speed limit is never abided by, people are constantly going by on motorbikes with no helmets, some even with three people on a single motorbike.

"The council have repeatedly sent out surveys and have promised things will be done, but after nearly 14 years on the street and the only thing that’s been done is some 20mph signs have gone up.

"School hours are even worse.

"So many HMOs have cropped up on the roads that extra cars are always going to be a problem.

"As it stands, should an emergency vehicle, be it fire or ambulance, be needed, I fear that it would be tragic due to the lack of care, awareness and anything being done to combat these issues.”

“There is an urgent need for action to ensure the safety of residents"

Cllr Jade Seager, who represents the Fletton and Stanground ward, said it had been a long running issue.

She said: “We are very much aware of the ongoing situation on St Margaret’s Road and have been working to try to alleviate these issues for a number of years.

"Residents regularly raise concerns about parking, speeding and access. We have not received any recent updates from the emergency services regarding the difficulties they have faced, but the incident described is extremely serious and highlights the urgent need for action to ensure the safety of residents and reliable access for emergency vehicles.

“In terms of what has been done so far:

“We have visited the school with council officers on a number of occasions to explore the introduction of the Safer Streets scheme, which could help to reduce congestion and improve safety at school times. Unfortunately, this relies on the school having enough staff or parent volunteers to operate the temporary road closure, and this has not been possible so far.

“A consultation took place to look at the possibility of introducing a one-way system on St Margaret’s Road, and letters were sent to 357 residents to seek their views. However, there was very limited engagement and insufficient support for the proposal to move forward at that stage.

“Following this latest report, we will be speaking again with council officers to review what further action can be taken. However, progress depends on residents engaging with consultations and responding when proposals are put forward. When there is limited feedback, it becomes very difficult for the council to make changes or prioritise new restrictions.

“We fully share residents’ concerns and will continue to push for practical solutions that improve safety and ensure emergency access for everyone living on and around St Margaret’s Road.”

Street ‘simply wasn't designed to accommodate the volume and size of modern vehicles’

Councillor Zameer Ali, Cabinet Member for Communities, Poverty and Public Health said: "St Margaret's Road, like many streets in Peterborough, was built in the Victorian era and simply wasn't designed to accommodate the volume and size of modern vehicles with most houses not having access to off road parking. We recognise this creates challenges for residents, especially during peak times. Our parking services team continue to enforce the parking restrictions currently in place and would like to remind people of the importance of parking safely and considerately to ensure access can be maintained at all times. Residents can report any highways concerns via 'Report it Online' on our website peterborough.gov.uk."

“The average fire engine is 2.6 metres (nine feet) wide and 8 metres (26 feet) long"

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service said they could not comment on the incident where the fire engine was blocked, but have issued advice to residents on how to park without the road being blocked.

A spokesperson said: “Motorists are urged to take care when parking their vehicles so they do not prevent our fire engines from attending potentially life-threatening emergencies.

“There are some areas around the county that are notorious for motorists parking down both sides of a narrow street and there have been times when fire engines haven't been able to get past at all. This of course can cause us a significant delay in responding to emergencies where someone's life could be at risk and our attendance time is crucial.

“This is a growing problem due in part to increasing car ownership, reduced or unused resident parking areas, traffic calming schemes and thoughtless parking by some motorists. The problem can be compounded at night and during the school pick-up and drop-off times.

“The average fire engine is 2.6 metres (nine feet) wide and 8 metres (26 feet) long - when you park your vehicle in a narrow street, always check you have left enough room for a fire engine to get past.”

Cambridgeshire Police and the East of England Ambulance Service were approached for comment.