[Cougarslair]

Originally Posted by Neil

I thought we had almost agreed to an answer for Rhyddings Street - its long and yellow and comes in pairs. Now the next big debate - which side shall we paint?

Just found out about this forum and had to add my twopenneth as they used to say... (sorry folks but this is gonna be a long one)

First:
Parking has been an issue here for many, many years, and long before many of the residents who currently live on the street arrived.
This is the 21st century, the vast majority of us need & use cars, and yet we live in areas developed in the 19th Century. We are stuck with narrow streets all over Lancashire so are we saying that double yellow lines should be used on the majority of streets?

I understand that on the grounds of access up and down for emergency vehicles it may sound a good idea, but on the other hand if Health & Safety is the ultimate issue then conservation, and how nice the grass and trees may look is irrelevant and they should be removed and the road made that much wider.

Now I am not saying they should be removed, quite the opposite, I think they add real character and charm to what would otherwise be just another row of terraced houses. (especially now the trees are in blossom - except the two replacements that have blossomed before the others!!! Welll done the council for putting in the wrong type )


Back to Double yellow lines:

1. On one side only - how much aggravation will that cause! Arguments over which side will they be on, people competing to park their cars on the street before anyone else, etc etc. Only a partial solution I feel, as this debate would continue to rage.
   
2. On both sides:
   • Where would all the cars (up to a dozen or so) that currently park there move to?
   • Imagine 12 more cars vying for space outside the end houses of Rhyddings and on Hornby street... Wont this affect more people than it does currently and create more anger and frustration?
     
3. If double yellow lines are placed on Rhyddings street, shouldn't they also be placed on Park Lane? Now, how many people would that mean are driving around the area trying to park their cars!! Doesnt bear thinking about.
   
4. Affect on housing values - it WILL put some people off buying on this street. I believe as the situation currently stands, it puts people off. Yellow lines will be more detrimental to our house values.
   
5. It could be argued that yellow lines should also be placed on Hornby street as its dangerous for kids coming out between all the parked cars... we could go on, and on...

For some people who seem obsessed about this issue who live at the ends of Rhyddings street, double yellow lines may be a fine proposal in theory, as they will still be able to park outside their homes (that is until a resident of Rhyddings street beats them to it!!).

The decision to add an extra layer of narrow kerb stones to allow the cars to park on, is what it was said to be at the meeting - a compromise. It is not ideal at all, but surely its better than the major disruption and anger that yellow lines would cause (affecting not just Rhyddings street but the surrounding area), it also allows residents to keep their beloved trees.

Are the trees really going to be so damaged that will ALL die off - I'm no expert but you are not surrounding the trees fully with stone blocks surely there will be enough root coverage remaining for them to survive?? How do trees in the middle of pedestrianised areas survive?? Im asking because I dont know, but it must be a surmountable problem.

The legality of parking on the narrow kerb stones wont be an issue for the council and law authorities, because the cars are not, and would not, be parked on the actual walkway.
Okay I'm gonna move on (nearly done you'll be pleased to know )

Second:

Mowing the grass on the street.

I must say I agree with `She` on this one - it should be down to the council to sort it out.

Its very nice that some residents mow the grass, but its only in a limited area and this makes some sections look better than others. So why dont we all mow the grass??

1. How many terraced house residents actually own a lawnmower???
2. How much of the grass should I mow before I'm encroaching on my neighbours patch? (ridiculous statement you may think but its what people are like)

Now shockingly I don't own a lawnmower because I don't have a lawn!! Surprise that one eh!
So, do I go out and buy a lawnmower to mow say a 20 foot by 2 foot strip of grass that isnt even owned by me??
And why do we pay all that money in poll tax if i have to do it myself.

I agree we should take pride in the area and help keep the area tidy, but the council must also do its bit (supply a communal lawnmower and ask for volunteers eh? lol...)

Thats me done.
Thanks for staying the distance