LAY-BY Name Summary of Represen
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ANNEX B TO ITEM10 SUMMARY OF REPRESENTATIONS ABOUT THE EXPERIMENTAL CLOSURE OF EMBERTON PARK – LAY-BY Name Summary of Representation Officers Comments Friends of The closure has fulfilled expectations in terms of car The benefits stated by the Friends of Emberton Park are Emberton Park crime, accidents, rubbish; removal of uncontrolled not disputed but there are serious concerns about the dogs and children from the area and park revenue level of parking in the village of Emberton. has increased. The stopping-up of the public highway of the old A509 The downside is that parking in the village of (including the lay-by) in to the country park will be Emberton has increased to the detriment of investigated further. The statutory procedures to instigate residents, but believe this could be resolved by the such a change is lengthy and there will be an, as yet, un- incorporating the old A509 in to the Emberton Park. quantified substantial cost to undertake this change. Once again for safety, the prevention of crime and Therefore the lay-by should be re-opened in the short the environment do not re-open the old A509. term, to relieve the parking problems in Emberton, pending a longer term solution, involving the stopping up of the highway and incorporation in to the car park for short term (possibly free of charge) parking. CCTV should be investigated as a crime reduction measure and additional signs and road markings should be installed to reduce the number of accidents. Static Caravan The experiment has been a complete success and The benefits stated by the Static Caravan Owners Owners that the low cost option of leaving the lay-by closed Association (Emberton Park) are not disputed but there Association should be taken by the Council. are serious concerns about the level of parking in the (Emberton Park) village of Emberton. Accidents have reduced due to a reduction in the number of access points. Crime has been reduced The issue of the opening hours of the Park Office as a as a result of the closure. With regard to the concept CCTV monitoring office is noted. However most parking in of CCTV being linked from the lay-by to the park, this the lay-by takes place while the Park Office is open. will not work because of the limited opening hours of CCTV images can be recorded for the detection of crime the park office. The prime reason for objections to and criminals will not necessarily know the cameras are the closure appears to be that parks in Milton Keynes not monitored 24 hours a day so the presence of CCTV are free with no lay-by, local people have to pay to cameras can act as a crime deterrent. Alternative CCTV come into the park. monitoring offices could also be utilised using modern communication techniques to ensure 24 hour monitoring if On issues of traffic safety and crime we can see no necessary. justification for re-opening the lay-by. On local peoples concerns of free short term access then we It is therefore proposed that the lay-by should be re- are sure the council can find a way of funding free opened in the short term, to relieve the parking problems local citizen car access as walking in is already free. in Emberton, pending a longer term solution, involving the stopping up of the highway and incorporation in to the car park for short term (possibly free of charge) parking. CCTV should be investigated as a crime reduction measure and additional signs and road markings should be installed to reduce the number of accidents. Olney Town In view of the potential accident problems if the lay- The accident concerns are noted and it is proposed to Council by were re-opened, Olney Town Council would like introduce safety measures (signs and road markings) to the lay-by to remain closed. However we are highlight the turning movements to approaching drivers as conscious that people use the park on a short-term part of the re-opening of the lay-by. basis and would like Milton Keynes Council to incorporate in to the Park short-term free parking as In the longer term it is proposed to stop-up the highway a matter of urgency. that forms the old A509 and incorporate this into the Park to provide a short stay (possibly free) parking area. Emberton Parish Council · Very concerned about accidents if the lay-by is re- · The risk of accidents occurring will be reduced through opened. the installation of appropriate warning signs and road · Support short term parking being available within markings. the park · It is proposed in the longer term to stop-up the highway · Concerned that if the lay-by is re-opened that car land forming this old road and incorporate this land into crime will increase again the Park for the purposes of short stay (possibly free) · Traffic signs and road markings will not help car parking. safety on this section of road · It is proposed to investigate CCTV as a crime · Restricting turning movements from the old road prevention and detection measure as part of the re- would increase the danger of slow moving on this opening of the lay-by. fast section of the A509 · Traffic signs and road markings can be a very effective · Making the old road one way would not be way of reducing road traffic accidents and has been satisfactory answer – traffic entering and exiting proved at many locations. could turn across two lanes. · It is accepted that a restriction on turning movements would lead to potentially hazardous slow speed turning movements and this is not being proposed. · It is accepted that a one way system would lead to potentially hazardous slow speed turning movements and this is not being proposed. Chief Inspector Thames Valley Police supports the continuing The crime reduction and accident reduction following the Geoff Locke, closure of this area solely on the grounds of crime closure of the lay-by is noted. However it is also noted Thames Valley reduction and accident prevention in support of our that the transfer of parking in to Emberton village has also Police core function of preserving life and property. caused problems. As part of the proposal to re-open the lay-by it is proposed to investigate the provision of CCTV cameras for the purposes of the prevention and detection of crime. Traffic signs and road markings will also be improved to warn approaching drivers and reduce the number of accidents. Cllr P Seymour The lay-by should remain closed The collision figures are for the wider area of the A509 as The casualty figures are misleading in that a collision this then shows an indication of the potential migration could no have occurred at the lay-by when it was accidents caused. closed Opening the lay-by could lead to a fatal accident CCTV is not a viable option Emberton Park The lay-by should remain closed There is no evidence to suggest that income to the park Sailing Club Concerned at the has increased as a result of the closure. · Potential increase in acts of vandalism at the clubhouse · Adverse effect on funding for the park · Potential for collisions on the road Alison I support your recommendation to remove the Noted. Stringfellow, experimental order. During the experiment there has Olney been marked reduction in the local patronage of the Park – especially in the winter weekends when it used to be seen as the only “local” place/park to walk for Olney residents that had made up footpaths for short visits. I would like to see the lay by re-opened in the interests of: · Public Health (encouraging walking) · Safety for lorry drivers by providing a rest area · Removing pressure on parking in the town centre etc. Paulene Jay, I would like to see the lay-by re-opened. I used the Noted. Olney lay-by for short walks with my mother and feeding ducks with my grandchildren. In the time it has been closed I have done neither. Ivor Deering The lay by causes no more danger from a traffic Noted. Piddington, accident point of view than the exit from Emberton Northampton Village/Park. What the closure of the lay-by has ensured is that vehicles have no requirement to begin slowing down until they are over the river until and in Olney; the speed of vehicles is now much greater between Emberton and Olney. The same applies to vehicles leaving Olney; drivers now appreciate that there is nothing going to hold them up and consequently put their foot down immediately. No sooner had the closure had been implemented than the Café in the park closed. The fact that visitors who parked for FREE used the café was obviously lost on the people who were unable to see the “Big Picture”. These people were unaware that there are people such as myself who purchase a pass but still enter the park from the lay-by. As a dog owner, it was simply more sensible to access my dog at this point; most dogs relieve themselves immediately they enter a park or field, and as dog bins were adjacent to this gate it inconvenienced no one; too obvious really!! Following the closure of the lay-by the Park become instantly empty; the difference was astounding, many many people deprived of exercise, enjoyment and social intercourse. Many drivers were able to rest and unwind in this tranquil spot. How many accidents have been caused in other places as a consequence.