No Parking - It's A Sign Of The Times
1st September 2008
A St Austell shopper is furious with the parking situation in the town centre.
The elderly resident believes recently installed taxi ranks on High Cross Street should be reverted back into short stay parking bays.
The man, who did not want to be named, told the St Austell Guardian that people who needed the services of the bank and post office were forced to walk an unnecessary distance because of the rank, which was installed last March.
He also claims that the signs on the bays are confusing, with some people believing that they can park in the allocated taxi bays, while others believe it is not allowed.
A spokesperson from Restormel County Council said: "The three parking bays outside of the Nationwide bank are for taxis only 24 hours a day.
"The five taxi bays further up are only for taxis between 9.30pm and 6am with parking restrictions outside of that time."
When the man parked in the road last week he was told off by a taxi driver for being in an allocated taxi bay.
He was infuriated after parking in the street to use the bank and post office for years. He said: "Why have we got to have a taxi rank in High Cross Street just outside of our bank? Just because there is a nightclub in that street doesn't mean that people should be penalised for it.
"It also makes it unsafe for anybody wanting to walk a long distance when they are putting in or taking out large sums of money.
"I don't know who the incompetent people are who passed this rule and turned it into a taxi rank, but they should no longer be in the office.
"They will be a pensioner one day and then they might thank me for raising the issue."
He believes that the best option is to put limited parking in place on all of the bays through the day so residents can visit the bank and post office easily.
He said: "A time limit could be put in place stopping drivers parking for any length of time.
"Just remember it is our road as well. We pay car tax and rates to use all roads, not for nightclubs and taxis to make money out of."
A spokesperson for Restormel Borough Council said: "The location in High Cross Street has never allowed parking. The ranks created were in response to the creation of the Puls8 nightclub.
"I understand that if disabled people have to use these locations to deposit sums of money at either the banks or post offices then it is up to the enforcement officer to assess the situation and determine whether there needs to be robust enforcement by way of issuing tickets.
"The success of the ranks in High Cross Street is difficult to measure especially with the extensive road works at the railway station end which has limited the use from these ranks.
"With the onset of One Cornwall, the viability of Restormel undergoing the significant process of re-defining this location is very doubtful."
Source; thisiscornwall.co.uk
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