Bid to ban verge parking near Broadfield Stadium
PROPOSALS to put parking restrictions on grass verges, which run along the sides of the A23 near Broadfield Stadium where Crawley Town football fans sometimes park on match days, have taken another step forward.
At a meeting of the West Crawley County Local Committee on Thursday (June 28) members heard how discussions were in place with Sussex Police to place a temporary Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) on the area running from Pease Pottage down to Cheals roundabout in Broadfield.
If this proved successful it could become permanent, councillors heard.
A TRO is a legal order which allows the Highway Authority to regulate the speed, movement and parking of vehicles in a particular area, it is enforceable by law and the police.
Les Gillingham, West Sussex County Council Principle Community Highways officer for Crawley and the Gatwick Diamond area, said the council was in discussions with the traffic management officer for Sussex Police exploring ways of implementing the order.
He said: “The council has had further discussions with Sussex Police and they have returned to the chief executive (of the club) with their concerns. As a result of that I promoted the idea of a Traffic Regulation Order to them.
“The A23 already has a clearway order which prevents people stopping on it because it is a carriage way. It does not cover the verges or the footpaths and we cannot put yellow lines on the road because of it.
“The police put forward restrictions from K2 to Cheals. But K2 is not far enough away from the football stadium and so I suggested the TRO runs from the Pease Pottage roundabout all the way on to Cheals.
“There is also a lay-by which has an emergency access route for the football stadium. People park in that and block the emergency access. We have spoken to the club who said they could put signs up warning people it is a match day and to refer to the emergency access notices.”
Councillors heard how discussions about the TRO were still on-going.
Cllr Brenda Smith (Lab, Langley Green) said she supported the idea of a TRO in the area.
She said: “It would enable people to use the overflow parking at Broadfield Business Park.
“Many people don’t use it because it is easier to park on the verges.
“I think it is good to hear progress is being made.”
An update will be heard at the next meeting of the committee which is due to take place on October 25.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Crawley
Saturday 18 May 2013
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 8 C to 17 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Light showers
Temperature: 9 C to 16 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North east
