The Chair to make any announcements relating to the Stoneygate area.
Minutes:
i) Petition – South Highfields Residents Parking Scheme
Andy Thomas, Head of Traffic Management attended the meeting and stated that the experimental scheme was reaching its climax and the stage had been reached whereby Planning and Development Control Committee were to review the objections received. Members would now be asking for details of the objections in the report of the officers. The City Mayor had also asked that businesses in London Road area be included in discussions that were to take place on how to deal with traffic issues in that area.
Councillor Chaplin stated that the report referred to above had been deferred by the Planning and Development Control Committee on 26th September and would now be re-considered at the meeting on 17th October.
ii) Mosque – 1 Evington Lane
Andy reported that he and Councillor Desai had been to visit officials at the mosque to discuss issues around car parking. With the consent of the Chairman of the Mosque Committee of Management the City Council implemented quite stringent measures to tackle the problems of car parking, following which a number of criticisms were received, some saying the Council had been too strict, others saying that the Council had been too lenient.
Folllowing further interventions, including Jon Ashworth M.P., the Council were now looking at a number of measures to try and alleviate the problems, including echelon parking. Efforts were being made to work with all parts of the community to try and solve car parking problems in the area.
Officers were thanked for the work they had undertaken to address the car parking problems in the vicinity of the mosque on Evington Lane.
iii) General Car Parking Issues
A member of the public referred to the current parking restrictions on St. Saviours Road and of the issuing of £80 fines. Andy responded by stating that motorists parking in breach of the regulations in force were indeed left with a Fixed Penalty Notice for £80, although if the fine was paid within 14 days the fine was reduced to £40.
A member of the public questioned what action was taken against illegally parked foreign registered vehicles. Andy responded by stating that, at the present time local authorities in the U.K. were not able to access records relating to foreign registered vehicles. The law stated that, for vehicles registered abroad and brought in to this country should be registered with the DVLA after 6 months. If a history of more than 6 months of offending is gathered then the City Council would take action to remove the vehicle and fine the owner. Members suggested that this process of enforcement should be publicised.
A representative of the Stoneygate Action Group stated that a number of residents in the area were very concerned as parking after 10.00pm at night had become very problematical, with people queuing for available car parking spaces. Andy responded that the City Council were aware of the problems and that a formal petition had been received and the matter was being dealt with.
RESOLVED:
that the information be noted.