Local wins first round in junction row battle

Sep 14 2011 by Kaiya Marjoribanks, Stirling Observer Wednesday

A BRAEHEAD resident has won the first round in a battle to halt new parking restrictions near his home.

Martin Grantham, of Carrick Court, told Stirling Council’s regulatory functions panel last week that his wife’s car was not to blame for traffic problems at the junction of Springfield Road and Broom Road.

He fiercely denied claims by council roads officials that his objection to the proposed new waiting restrictions at the point was because it would mean the car would no longer be able to park there.

And he said his concern was that parking restrictions would be pointless as they would not solve the problem.

A traffic-calming scheme was introduced at the junction in 2006 as part of the Safer Routes to Schools project for Braehead Primary School, including a road narrowing, which required vehicles entering from Broom Road to give way to oncoming traffic, being installed on Springfield Road.

Roads officials now want to introduce a “no waiting at any time” restriction at the junction after concerns were raised about traffic queuing back to the nearby roundabout.

Officials told the panel: “It was brought to our attention by the community council via Councillor Ian Brown that there is frequent parking in front of the pinch point, causing an undesirable obstruction for vehicles turning in from Broom Road, resulting on occasions to vehicles queuing on Springfield Road onto the mini roundabout at the Springfield Road/Broom Road junction.

“These restrictions will eliminate parking in the vicinity of the road narrowing and provide vehicles the full length road use when giving way to oncoming vehicles, who are heading out of Springfield Road. When vehicles are parked in front of the road narrowing it also reduces forward visibility for drivers negotiating this section of road.

“It isn’t uncommon to put yellow lines in situations like this.

“Springfield Road serves a residential area as well as Braehead Primary School, a church and a local post office and shop. Springfield Road is also a bus route.”

However, Mr Grantham told the panel: “The pinch point is the problem and not the parked car. Parking restrictions will cure nothing.

“I stay on this roundabout and it backs up every day in life, but it’s not my car causing the problem. Parents are coming in and coming back out and the bus can’t get out.”

Councillor Neil Benny said: “There does seem to be a lot of strength in Mr Grantham’s case.

“I don’t think anyone is saying we shouldn’t have traffic calming. We are stuck with a system and I don’t think we should be ripping it out. I just think this proposal before us might be overkill.”

Roads officials said: “The pinch point originally was a proposal for two humps at that location and at that time people felt it would be better to have one cushion.”

Councillor Graham Houston said: “I can’t see whether or not a car parked here, because of the width of the road, would actually cause a great queue. I can’t see how double yellow lines are going to eliminate a queue when cars, buses etc are trying to access Broom Road.”

The panel deferred a decision on the proposal and asked roads officials to reconsider the location of the pinch point.