Concerns voiced at Penryn parking meeting (From Falmouth Packet)

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Concerns voiced at Penryn parking meeting

1:53pm Monday 7th July 2008

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The university at Penryn was compared to an anti-social hoody last week, as anger over ongoing problem parking bubbled over at a public meeting on Thursday.

The meeting on Thursday was part of the consultation over proposals to paint single or double yellow lines on some roads in the town.

The proposals were prompted by concerns over congestion and safety.

However if the strength off feeling at the busy town hall meeting was a gauge of general opinion then officials could have a fight on their hands.

The central question on everyone's lips was, if yellow lines are painted to restrict parking where will local people park?

A panel of blank faces greeted this question as transport engineers from Cornwall county council admitted they did not have a clue.

Speaking at the meeting, Gillian Rowe of Harbour View said: "When the university came to Penryn I was very excited and proud to have this new baby in our midst, but now it has turned into a hoody.

She said a chronic lack of parking on the campus was to blame and officials could not be allowed to "leave the meeting whistling and then do nothing".

Neil Barnes, director of estates at the university, said he acknowledged that inconsiderate parking by students and some staff had cause problems right around the campus.

But he added they were doing everything they could to dissuade students from using their cars however they "can not force people to comply".

He added the last thing the university wants is to have a bad relationship with the community.

He detailed the wide range of steps the university was taking to minimise the problems but said with 2,500 students, 500 staff, 800 student residences and plans to expand, people could see the size of the problem.

Blaming planning restrictions for the inadequate parking on the campus he added they were asking for a relaxation of these restrictions during the latest phase of the planning process.

Residents were asked to comment on proposals street by street with many arguing against all but the tiniest changes, and even then only where strictly necessary for safety reasons.

There were concerns restrictions would just further reduce available spaces and push problems elsewhere.

Peter Moore, Chief transportation engineer at Cornwall county council said all the opinions would be taken into consideration and the restrictions would only go ahead if they would not cause further problems.

He added: "I would be astonished if the proposals are not changed as a result of this consultation."

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Diana Merrett, Falmouth says...
10:38pm Mon 7 Jul 08

For the last seven years the people in the Area of Arwenack has suffered with the amount of cars coming in from the student population and nothing has been done for us, our Alley ways are full and so are our pavements, what we were told was that all students were told by letter not to bring their cars but then we got some bright spark saying they could not carry all their stuff backwards and forwards to UNI and home.
Carrick came up with the £50 parking fee in which again they could not guarantee a parking space but now they want us off the roads but are doing nothing to put a stop to the students with their cars and live in Vans.
All the councils are putting the students first, the private Investor second and Business's third, all we have to do is pay for it. The councils say these people are bringing money to our small towns but I say at what cost to us. Our towns are been
changed to suit all three whether we like it or not.
You are told what to do by SWRDA, CUC, Cornwall County Council but what they have all forgotten is that the money they are all using is our money coming from our pockets collected by the Government. There is
more to come and not that good for us, because by 2020 comes in, the student population will be over taking us and you will still do what you are told.
That is if you want to live in the place of your Birth.
Bus routes been changed, new railway lines, cycle paths from CUC through to the Docks in Falmouth, shops been changed. Everything for the students.

quote

never mind us.

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Colin Drummond, says...
11:46am Wed 9 Jul 08

Surely the answer to the problem of parking around the campus is blindingly obvious. Build a large car park on the campus site.The planners have allowed a campus to be built for 2,500 students and 500 staff with hardly any parking on the site. They are the ones to blame for the problem, not the students or staff.

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Sam, says...
1:16pm Wed 9 Jul 08

Reading all this makes me feel very sad for the community. i am starting at the university in september, and part of the reason i chose the uni was because of the local community. its a shame that a wedge is being driven inbetween both parties when if planning allowed a carpark could be built-not just for students but for locals (i get the impression that parking was already tight before the university). Yes i am bringing a vehicle but no i am not parking it in the village. i have arranged already to rent a space which i think is fair enough. i dont think i am the only student who would pay for for parking.

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Diana Merrett, Falmouth says...
11:09pm Wed 9 Jul 08

yes a wedge is been driven between the Students and the people of the Towns but that is not our fault as Tremough is getting bigger every 5minutes and it is us the local people who are been driven out by all the cars and vans that is coming here because the University does not care enough to sort out the problems they are creating or even care how they go about it so long as they get what they want.
I blame the Councils and the Universitites for not putting in place New planning Laws which Landlords who buy family homes get them changed into another Class usage, plus putting a Two car per house system in place,and charging the students for the services that we have to pay for and charging landords the full council tax.
Education is a wonderful thing for all of us but not when it comes to upsetting the community which by rights should have been put first not last.
None of this is our fault but we get the blame for all the social ills that comes with the huge amount of young people coming to town.
They expect us to grin and bear it.

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sam, says...
11:23am Thu 10 Jul 08

Obviously without living in the area it does sound like there were issues before the university, but they have been severely aggravated by it. I am from a very small community too, and with respect to parking and lack of space we have similar problems, heavily inflated during the summer months. Residential parking zones are set up with a minimal fee and there are a lot of car parks which are all user pays (with the exception of some in 'remote' locations). Both schemes are monitored well and illegally parked vehicles are towed and fines issued. It works, and the department that maintains these generates enough money to employ people to monitor the situation. I dont see why a similar residential scheme cannot be put in place. If you want a vehicle resident or not then you have to find a place to keep it. If you cant then you cant have a vehicle. But residents must have a priority. I guess at 18 years old (the age of most students when they start) this probably isnt something thats considered. The literature from the University does advise against bringing cars but I do think the message needs to be reinforced heavily, even giving contacts to get season tickets for car parks in Falmouth or even Truro etc so all users can be responsible vehicle owners.

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mark stevens, penryn says...
2:54pm Thu 17 Jul 08

i live just down the road from the tremough campus and i am always annoyed with the lack of respect the students show to the local people and just think they can park anywhere on our roads, i have complained multiple times to local officals and police that parking needs to be allocated to locals first and students second. I think a sceme needs to be added that local people should have the right to buy their own parking spaces for an annual fee, and that fee should go the the local projects to make the town or surrounding areas better for everyone. and the parking in the campus should be sorted in the next expansion plans and not at the expense and frustration of the local residents.

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Joe Public, Falmouth says...
9:05am Fri 18 Jul 08

Mr Stevens..I agree with most of what you say...frustrating for you yes,i absolutely agree..but if its a public road and the students are not causing an obstruction and are properly parked why an earth should they not park anywhwere they like ! They are not "your roads" they are public roads !! .The students have as much right as you to own a car and park it on a public road.
Blame the uni and the local planners not the students. I take it you always park in a car park wherever you go ?

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Sammy Smith, says...
11:40pm Fri 18 Jul 08

Sarah Newton, the Tory Candidate, is sorting the matter out in Penryn, with more double yellow lines and the end of Free Parking. That will sort the problem out there. In Falmouth the suggestion is more Double Lines off and around Wood Lane and a doubling of Car Parking Charges in the town. That will drive the Students out.

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