Concerned

Mar 3, 08 - 1:27 PM

Parking on pavement opposite Country Store

I am so concerned about the the dangerous parking that is repeatedly happening on the pavement opposite country store ( next to the green information display).

Every day last week on my trips to take and pick up my children from school there was a car/van lorry parked fully on the pavement completely blocking the way, meaning we forced to either cross the extreemly busy road or negotiate through parked cars. The junction here is dangerous enough as it is without the pavement being blocked.

The owners of the offending vehicles seem to be either shopping in Country Store or doing maintenance there. The dangerous behaviour of these individuals is totally unacceptable and will cause an accident.

The pavement widening far from making it safer for pedestrians seems to have created a new danger.

JB.™

Mar 3rd, 2008 - 2:01 PM

Re: Parking on pavement opposite Country Store

The recent changes to the road/pavement layout seem to have been ill thought out.

As a resident of station road we were initially told that the entrance to the road would have had a curb built to discourage vehicles blocking access and also
to make pedestrians aware that they were crossing a road.
Alas none of that has happened.

The result is vehicles still park on Station road on both sides making it very hard for cars, let alone fire engines or ambulances to get through.

Some idiots also seem to think it's fine to park across the entrance whilst popping into the Country Stores, coupled with the parking either side of the entrance you can't see up or down the road to pull out.

On a positive note, at least the pavement does now run past the social club.......

Locale

Mar 3rd, 2008 - 2:03 PM

Re: Parking on pavement opposite Country Store

Would it not make more sense to prohibit all parking outside the countrystore (with the exception being deliveries)

There is ample parking across the road in the carpark, or are people too lazy these days to even walk that far?

Paris

Mar 3rd, 2008 - 4:00 PM

Re: Parking on pavement opposite Country Store

I don't necessarily think it's all about people being too lazy to walk across the road. I remember a Parade shopkeeper ranting on this website once about people parking in 'their' car park (the car park is owned by the same company that owns the Parade shops) and crossing over to buy stuff in Countrystore without using the Parade shops at all. I think because they must pay a nominal sum towards the upkeep (such that it is) of the Parade car park.

I admit I'm as guilty of parking at the Parade and shopping in Countrystore as the next person, and every time I do I get a feeling of 'oops I shouldn't be doing this' because of what I read on this very forum.

Maybe we just need a visit from the RBWM parking enforcement officers; obstructing a pedestrian right of way is just as much an offence as parking on a double yellow.

LizzyK

Mar 3rd, 2008 - 5:40 PM

Re: Parking on pavement opposite Country Store

The Parade car park is private and I know the cost recently was around £5,000 per tenant to maintain it, so it is not a small sum. I believe that someone has been clamped and I heard the cost of being unclamped was going to be £150, although I may have got that completely wrong. I don't think the problem is parking outside Countrystore, but on the other side of the road illegally across the pavement. I must admit the only people I have seen doing that are the delivery lorries.

Info

Mar 19th, 2008 - 6:06 PM

Re: Parking on pavement opposite Country Store

The owner of Countrystore owns a number of the shops on the parade, so the parking there is not an issue for Countrystore shoppers.
Also many elderly and disabled shoppers need to park outside as the quality of driving in Cookham makes it difficult to cross the road laden with shopping if they have mobility problems.

It is a difficult problem, do you want a thriving village providing goods and services or do you want a quiet picture-postcard village?

Unfortunately you cannot have it both ways.

Maryanne

Mar 25th, 2008 - 3:17 PM

Re: Parking on pavement opposite Country Store

Thriving village please.
(it's a bit picture-postcard-ish here and there, happily).
We want shops and services. We are a busy, living village. Not some hamlet that has one post office about to close and mere commuters or Londoners using it as a weekend retreat.
And boy does it feel good to come back to Cookham after being in nearby towns. We are sooo lucky.
The great thing about Cookham too is the train station. If stuck without a car for some reason, one could get virtually anywhere in the country by walking to the station here (without fee. yes NO fee to park).
Just been away to Dorset and everywhere we stopped to gawk ...pay and display was required. Tedious and a nuisance as regards having change - not small change either - usually £2.50 for two hours.

Author	Comment
Concerned Mar 3, 08 - 1:27 PM	Parking on pavement opposite Country Store I am so concerned about the the dangerous parking that is repeatedly happening on the pavement opposite country store ( next to the green information display). Every day last week on my trips to take and pick up my children from school there was a car/van lorry parked fully on the pavement completely blocking the way, meaning we forced to either cross the extreemly busy road or negotiate through parked cars. The junction here is dangerous enough as it is without the pavement being blocked. The owners of the offending vehicles seem to be either shopping in Country Store or doing maintenance there. The dangerous behaviour of these individuals is totally unacceptable and will cause an accident. The pavement widening far from making it safer for pedestrians seems to have created a new danger. Email: Rhian_sturdy@yahoo.co.uk
JB.™ Mar 3rd, 2008 - 2:01 PM	Re: Parking on pavement opposite Country Store The recent changes to the road/pavement layout seem to have been ill thought out. As a resident of station road we were initially told that the entrance to the road would have had a curb built to discourage vehicles blocking access and also to make pedestrians aware that they were crossing a road. Alas none of that has happened. The result is vehicles still park on Station road on both sides making it very hard for cars, let alone fire engines or ambulances to get through. Some idiots also seem to think it's fine to park across the entrance whilst popping into the Country Stores, coupled with the parking either side of the entrance you can't see up or down the road to pull out. On a positive note, at least the pavement does now run past the social club.......
Locale Mar 3rd, 2008 - 2:03 PM	Re: Parking on pavement opposite Country Store Would it not make more sense to prohibit all parking outside the countrystore (with the exception being deliveries) There is ample parking across the road in the carpark, or are people too lazy these days to even walk that far?
Paris Mar 3rd, 2008 - 4:00 PM	Re: Parking on pavement opposite Country Store I don't necessarily think it's all about people being too lazy to walk across the road. I remember a Parade shopkeeper ranting on this website once about people parking in 'their' car park (the car park is owned by the same company that owns the Parade shops) and crossing over to buy stuff in Countrystore without using the Parade shops at all. I think because they must pay a nominal sum towards the upkeep (such that it is) of the Parade car park. I admit I'm as guilty of parking at the Parade and shopping in Countrystore as the next person, and every time I do I get a feeling of 'oops I shouldn't be doing this' because of what I read on this very forum. Maybe we just need a visit from the RBWM parking enforcement officers; obstructing a pedestrian right of way is just as much an offence as parking on a double yellow.
LizzyK Mar 3rd, 2008 - 5:40 PM	Re: Parking on pavement opposite Country Store The Parade car park is private and I know the cost recently was around £5,000 per tenant to maintain it, so it is not a small sum. I believe that someone has been clamped and I heard the cost of being unclamped was going to be £150, although I may have got that completely wrong. I don't think the problem is parking outside Countrystore, but on the other side of the road illegally across the pavement. I must admit the only people I have seen doing that are the delivery lorries.
Info Mar 19th, 2008 - 6:06 PM	Re: Parking on pavement opposite Country Store The owner of Countrystore owns a number of the shops on the parade, so the parking there is not an issue for Countrystore shoppers. Also many elderly and disabled shoppers need to park outside as the quality of driving in Cookham makes it difficult to cross the road laden with shopping if they have mobility problems. It is a difficult problem, do you want a thriving village providing goods and services or do you want a quiet picture-postcard village? Unfortunately you cannot have it both ways.
Maryanne Mar 25th, 2008 - 3:17 PM	Re: Parking on pavement opposite Country Store Thriving village please. (it's a bit picture-postcard-ish here and there, happily). We want shops and services. We are a busy, living village. Not some hamlet that has one post office about to close and mere commuters or Londoners using it as a weekend retreat. And boy does it feel good to come back to Cookham after being in nearby towns. We are sooo lucky. The great thing about Cookham too is the train station. If stuck without a car for some reason, one could get virtually anywhere in the country by walking to the station here (without fee. yes NO fee to park). Just been away to Dorset and everywhere we stopped to gawk ...pay and display was required. Tedious and a nuisance as regards having change - not small change either - usually £2.50 for two hours.