It will not have gone unnoticed as your drive around the Waverley borough that more and more people are squeezing their cars into ever-smaller spaces on roads that were not build to take so many. Many of them are large vans or commercial vehicles.
Now, the Surrey Fire Brigade is urging the public to think before you park, as fire engines and any emergency vehicles are getting quite simply – STUCK! Just a few minutes delay could prove vital, a matter of life or death.
We need our space!! 🚘🚖👋
Please be mindful when parking. Think…can a fire engine fit through? If we can fit, our colleagues from @SECAmbulance & @SurreyPolice can fit too! 🚒🚑🚓
If our access is blocked, it can take us longer to get to those who need us. #WeNeedOurSpacepic.twitter.com/UZBdbu4g3h
Catteshall Road in Godalming is a nightmare at the moment with parked cars and numerous builders trucks and vans servicing the new development site near the ambulance station. Neither fire trucks or ambulances would be able to get past.
The management of our roads lies firmly with Surrey County Council, it is incumbent on them to ensure that the roads are kept clear by managing on street parking.
Planning decisions should ensure that adequate parking provision is provided on site for construction and dwelling occupation. Consideration for emergency vehicle access and public service vehicles is long overdue. We all have a responsibility to ensure smooth passage along the highway. It is healthier and safer and delivers predictable journey times. Unfortunately the Planning Parking Guide was published in 2013 time for an update?
Most definitely time for an update!
The problem now is that we cannot approach parking provision retrospectively, all planning decisions now are based on an improved planning parking provision, maybe not perfect but it does require a parking provision on each new accommodation, however many older housing depended on on street parking and were not designed to cope with the amount of car ownership that we have now.