Express & Star

Drivers slam 'ludicrous' new parking restrictions in Stafford

Parking restrictions will be introduced on a housing estate to tackle cars clogging up roads.

Published
Last updated
Cars parked along Martin Street in Castlfields

Many train passengers park in the Castlefields area of Stafford to avoid hefty charges at the town’s station.

The measures will see double yellow lines introduced along Martin Drive, which is set to form the gateway to the new arterial route off the Newport Road.

There will also be double yellow lines on Redgrave Drive and Rose Hill. The latter will also have time restricted parking.

The restrictions will be implemented in July. It comes as part of the new multi-million pound Western Access Route scheme.

Angry drivers claim the move will just clog up other areas of the town.

Jon Matthews, aged 22, from the town often parks along Martin Drive and walks into the town centre to use the train station.

He said: “I use the Castlefields estate to park when I’m catching the train from Stafford station.

“I appreciate that the work is part of the new bypass but where are people going to park? It is too expensive to park by the train station. There needs to be much more affordable all day parking in the town.”

The Western Access Route will be a new road connecting the A518 Newport Road to the A34 Foregate Street, as part of a growth deal for Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.

Council leaders say it will unlock future investment in Stafford. Work on the project could be finished by 2020.

Another commuter, who did not want to be named, said: “All the measures will do is push people away to park in another area – moving the problem around,” he said.

“You can’t get on the car park at the train station, you can’t get on the supermarket, you can’t get on the castle area.

“Now they are introducing parking restrictions, all it will do is move people on from the area, and on to somewhere else.

“It is a ludicrous decision, more thought needs to be put in this, or the problem will never go away.”

Staffordshire County Council’s economic growth leader Mark Winnington, said: “Parking restrictions are needed along Martin Drive as this will form the gateway to the Stafford Western Access Road from Newport Road.

“However, we’re aware of parking problems being displaced and so after consultation with residents we will be extending restrictions along the principal roads around Castlefields.

“We are also keen to potentially extend new regulations to other areas, which may be affected by parking displacement.”