Hardwicke Parish Council
Dear Editor
I have been asked to write to Hardwicke Matters by both the Parish Council and residents of Elmgrove Road East who attended the May meeting of Hardwicke Parish Council.
Concern by both the Parish Council and residents has been raised over the parking and delivery vehicle problems currently experienced at the New Post office / One Stop Shop in Hardwicke. Heavy Goods delivery vehicles are forced to unload very close to the junction causing problems for vehicles entering and exiting the estate. Large delivery vehicles have difficulty in turning round after entering Elmgrove Road as there is no other exit from the estate.
During the delivery of supplies and at busy times the roads around the shop become gridlocked due to insufficient parking / unloading arrangements provided by the shop with customers even using the bus stop on the B4008. This causes the buses to stop on the main road to alight their passengers, this includes school buses, children cannot get on and off buses without stepping into the carriageway. The exit from the One Stop car park has restricted vision due to a high fence extending to the edge of the footpath causing cars to cross the pavement without being able to see pedestrians.
With a proposal for a fast food takeaway and 4 new houses on the old car park this can only make the situation much worse. The two properties created above the store are not yet occupied and will only reduce parking spaces even further. The Parish Council has been in discussion with Gloucestershire County Highways about putting double yellow lines around the shop extending onto the B4008. The residents feel that this will not work for two reasons. 1. The yellow line restrictions will not be enforced. 2. This will restrict them from parking outside their own houses.
It would seem that the only answer to this situation would be to provide adequate off road parking for customers and a dedicated unloading bay for delivery vehicles. This could only be achieved by restricting or refusing the proposed housing development and creating a larger car park. It was generally felt at the Parish Council meeting that the site will be overdeveloped.
It was hoped, by the attendees of the meeting, that Stroud District Council would take all of the above points into consideration before granting further planning permissions.
Mike King (Chair)
Hardwicke Parish Council
Contact details: mike.king@hardwickepc.gov.uk
or clerk@hardwickepc.gov.uk
