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Tile Hill station parking problems will cause fatal crash say residents

Mon Mar 28, 2016 1:38 pm

Residents say drivers sometimes abandon cars for weeks at a time while they go on holiday and regularly park irresponsibly

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Residents fear it is only a matter of time until someone is killed due to the parking chaos around Tile Hill railway station.

People living in the area have hit out at drivers who abandon their cars in residential side streets, or on busy through roads, as they use the nearby station to travel to work or head off on holiday for weeks at a time.

They say the issue is caused by a lack of space in the official station car park and claim poorly parked cars have also caused issues for emergency vehicles.

Petitions about the parking problems, carrying hundreds of signatures, have been handed into Coventry City Council and meetings have been held with car park owners Centro - but there seems to have been little progress on tackling the dilemma.

Karen Sprouse, of Tile Hill Village Residents Group, said: “There’s going to be an accident, it’s inevitable.

“You have kids and the elderly crossing the road and there are no crossings by the station. It’s only a matter of time until the worst happens.”

Parking restrictions have recently been introduced on some nearby roads - but residents say that has simply shifted the problem with issues on Duggins Lane, Curriers Close, Conway Avenue, Nailcote Avenue and Station Avenue.

Ms Sprouse said she feared it would get worse with hundreds more homes expected to be built in the area over the next few years.

She added: “Some residents are finding they can’t access or get out of their drives.

“It’s only going to get worse, the infrastructure can’t cope with what we have now. There’s no easy fix.”

She added that the problems had been increased by rejigged timetables which mean, since 2008, trains no longer stop at Canley station during busy times.

A spokesman for London Midland said the demand for service on the route had increased by about 40 per cent during that time - but suggested the line did not have the capacity for the trains to stop at Canley as well.

He said: “If you stop at every station on the line, you will never get the trains through. It’s about striking a balance.”

Coun Marcus Lapsa has sponsored petitions relating to the parking issues along with fellow Westwood councillors Maya Ali and David Skinner.
He said: “It’s not a matter of if someone is going to lose their life, it’s a matter of when. It’s like a chicane down there, it’s absolute hell.

“We could look at parking restrictions between certain times, but the residents would have to agree to them.”

Mark Langford, from Centro, called on train users to consider different ways of getting to the station.

He said: “Like other stations across the West Midlands offering park and ride facilities, Tile Hill is extremely popular and fills up very quickly which is why we strongly advise people wanting to use it to give themselves enough time to get a space.

“We only have so many spaces available and we would urge anyone unable to get one to park responsibly and with consideration for neighbouring residents and businesses.

“Research has shown many users live within 800m of a park and ride yet still choose to drive when there are alternatives such as cycling, walking or the bus.

“It would be far better if people living that close were to consider using one of those methods and thus help ease demand.”

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Re: Tile Hill station parking problems will cause fatal crash say residents

Fri Jun 21, 2019 1:39 am

Tile Hill station plans are TWO YEARS behind schedule

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Money is still in place for plans to create an additional 250 car parking spaces at Tile Hill railway station - despite the project slipping two years behind schedule.

Proposals were initially planned to be submitted to Coventry City Council in August 2018, but a full council meeting this week was told they won’t be ready for approval until 2020.

Westwood ward councillor David Skinner raised the issue as he said there was “considerable concern” about the build-up of traffic caused by a lack of parking.

The scheme is intended to reduce the impact of that overspill while enhancing interchange facilities for buses to the station, but it is subject to land availability.

Cabinet member for jobs and regeneration, Cllr Jim O’Boyle, insisted the authority was still working with Transport for the West Midlands on designs, aiming for “planning approval during 2020”.

He said: “Like Cllr Skinner, everyone is frustrated that this hasn’t happened sooner.

“It’s partly because of how money is released from the Combined Authority but also the capacity both of the authority and also for officers to work towards a consensus of how to take things forward.

“One thing for sure is that the money is there and it will be drawn down at the appropriate time.”

Cllr Skinner also asked if a zebra crossing will be included in the plan, adding it is “becoming more and more dangerous” in areas such as Cromwell Lane.

He also asked for confirmation that the work is costing around £8million, and whether the car park will be free, although Cllr O’Boyle did not confirm these.

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Re: New station plan for Coventry outskirts' new homes and Warwick University

Thu Oct 17, 2019 3:19 pm

‘The money is gone’ – doubts over railway station upgrades

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Upgrades at a Coventry train station are up in the air after the cabinet member responsible admitted money has “fallen off the radar”.

Proposals for an additional 250 car parking spaces at Tile Hill railway station were initially meant to be submitted to the council in August 2018.

With this yet to happen, Westwood ward councillor David Skinner has previously quizzed the cabinet member responsible over the delay.

Raising the issue at full council in June, he was told by Cllr Jim O’Boyle that the authority was working with Transport for West Midlands on designs and aiming for “planning approval during 2020”, re-assuring him “the money is there and it will be drawn down at the appropriate time”.

But when asked again at full council on Tuesday, October 15, Cllr O’Boyle said “the money is not available”, with further doubt poured on the project as the land has attracted interest from other developers.

Making reference to updates from a meeting between the WMCA and council officer responsible John Seddon, he said: “The current position is that Transport for West Midlands has prepared some preliminary design options for a 250-space car park on land adjacent to the station.

“There has been some third-party interest in the same land which has delayed the start on the next stage of the project which would involve stakeholder engagement and submission of the planning application.

“Our aim is to move the scheme forward to the planning stage in 2020 but that will depend on securing the funds to do so.

“The reason for the delay is the funding from Transport for West Midlands to fund this – although originally identified within the scheme of works when the combined authority was set up – it seems to have fallen off the radar, hence why meetings are taking place because the money is not available, the money is running out, partly because the devolution deal two wasn’t forthcoming from the government in order to fulfil the funding request put forward.

“The key point is people in the area want to see this happen and so do we.

“It is just finding the funds to make that happen and how high up the pecking order the Transport for West Midlands will make it.”

He added later on: “The reason why the delays have happened with that is there is no money coming forward.

“If we are going to be serious about this, we need the government and the Department for Transport to put their money where their mouth is as there is no money tree.”

The cost of the project has not previously been revealed.

In June, Cllr Skinner asked if the project is costing around £8million, and whether the car park will be free, although Cllr O’Boyle did not confirm either.

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Re: Tile Hill station parking problems will cause fatal crash say residents

Thu Oct 17, 2019 6:08 pm

...the cabinet member responsible admitted money has “fallen off the radar”.


Complete incompetence, as we are becoming more accustomed to from our wonderful council. :fuming:
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