Vulnerable residents set to reclaim parking spaces (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Vulnerable residents set to reclaim Malmesbury parking spaces

8:00am Friday 19th October 2012 in News

BESEIGED residents of a sheltered housing complex in Malmesbury are on the verge of reclaiming their parking spaces after magistrates agreed an order stopping public access.

People living in Glovers Court have fought a two and-a-half-year campaign to prevent other drivers pinching parking places that were originally intended for them.

But now the spaces are set to be protected with bollards after the Chippenham bench agreed to Wiltshire Council’s request for a stopping up order on October 9.

The council has to wait 21 days for any appeals before the land is transferred to Westlea Housing.

“It’s pretty amazing,” said Sheena MacBrayne, one of the residents committee who campaigned for the order. “We’re just relieved.”

The spaces were originally intended for the residents of the complex, many of whom are elderly and infirm. But other drivers have been ignoring the signs and taking advantage of the fact that the restriction is not legally enforceable – some even park in the ambulance bay.

Carers have been unable to find room to park and it has meant disabled residents unable to leave their homes because of blocked dropped kerbs. Others have had to walk some distance because relatives cannot park near the complex after taking them on a trip out.

Residents lobbied local councillors and the residents association with their problems and met with highways officers.

“I think it is a very fair result,” said Mrs MacBrayne. “Wiltshire Council have been fantastic. They really worked very hard to get the thing through.”

But she added that residents were realistic and because parking was such a big issue in Malmesbury they did not expect the access problem to be solved immediately.