Leighton Buzzard residents' urgent call for parking permits and traffic calming on busy road

Mark Rolfe and Joann Waller have lived on Hockliffe Road for five years, but claim parking is becoming a "big issue", as they have not been given permits and sometimes have to park two streets away from their own home due to lack of spaces. Meanwhile, the couple say that traffic calming measures are desperately needed as cars and lorries speed down the road, while residents' parked vehicles have been hit.

Joann told the LBO: "People park on Hockliffe Road to go to work or the shops. Some do it regularly because they don't have to pay. But it's not fair on the Hockliffe Road residents. I have a young grandson and sometimes we have to park and walk two streets away to get to my house. People do a hard day's work, come home, and there's nowhere to park."

Joann claims that with the nearby construction work going on, there are even fewer spaces, while their neighbours on both sides have moved house in the last 18 months because of the parking issue.

Joann claimed: "I think the council don't care and have no plans of doing anything. I just can't believe there's not some sort of permit system with a time limit. I once parked on the double yellows because it was 6.30am and had arrived back from A&E with my grandson. I received a ticket, but I wasn't causing an obstruction to dropped kerbs or anything. I told CBC the situation but they just wanted the money. The parking situation is getting worse and we have even resorted to getting our shopping delivered now."

Mark claimed: "During Covid, everyone seemed to park here. But then when lockdown was over, and restrictions came back, we got two parking fines. One we paid, the other we were let off. We had to park on double yellows on Hockliffe Road as there was nowhere else to go. We applied for a permit but we have never been given one."

Mark claimed that he is worried that even fewer spaces will be available in the future due to the new care home, which he believes won't have enough on-site parking. Meanwhile, he told the LBO that he has seen cars, lorries, and tractors all speed down "well over 30mph" and that his vehicles have been hit twice.

He claimed: "We need more parking permits for residents and traffic calming measures, such as speed humps. But I don't think the council are interested in traffic calming because the emergency services use Hockliffe Road and need to get along it quickly."

A Central Bedfordshire Council spokeswoman said: "We consulted residents about a new On-Street Parking Management Strategy that addresses parking issues, supports towns and communities in Central Bedfordshire, benefits residents, and businesses, and promotes sustainability. Many factors need investigating when considering Restricted Parking Zones (RPZ) and while there is no commitment currently to deliver an RPZ scheme in this area our Traffic Management team will look into the issues raised along Hockliffe Road. If residents feel they would like to raise a petition requesting parking permits and road safety measures along this stretch of road, this will be reviewed by our Traffic Management Meeting.”