PEOPLE living in the Pixash Lane area of Keynsham have called for action to resolve parking and traffic problems near their homes.
Residents say they have been badly affected by the removal of on-street parking in the lane as part of works to accommodate the new Keynsham Recycling Hub.
Some have said they are now forced to park on the busy A4 Bath Road instead, prompting abuse from other drivers.
A meeting attended by about 20 residents has resulted in several requests being put to Bath & North East Somerset Council. They include:
- Remove double-yellow lines from the western side of Pixash Lane and the northern side of Ashmead Road.
- Add crossed-hatching boxes at the Broadmead roundabout to enable traffic to cross the roundabout smoothly and continuously during rush hour.
- Replace a sign indicating traffic to go round Broadmead roundabout before entering the Snapdragon Nursery.
- Reduce the A4 Bath Road speed limit to 30mph from Broadmead to Saltford.
- Add double-yellow lines at the junction of Ellsbridge Close with the Bath Road spur.
The latter request was made because residents said parking had intensified in the Ellsbridge Close area, with some vehicles poorly parked.
The meeting was attended Keynsham councillors Andy Wait and Hal MacFie, as well as two officers from B&NES Council.
Cllr MacFie told the meeting that parking issues near the recycling hub are likely to intensify when the facility reaches its target staffing of more than 200 with just 50 car spaces.
He added that the area is also likely to be used as a ‘park and ride’ by bus users as the frequency of the X39 service is stepped up.
Some residents living on the Bath Road asked if they could have vehicular access to park in their front gardens. The B&NEs officers at the meeting said no blanket permission could be given and that residents would have to apply through the planning system.
Following the meeting at the Masonic Lodge in Keynsham, Cllr MacFie told the Voice: “The meeting has clarified residents’ needs, and B&NES officers have agreed to consider these. In the meantime, some residents are struggling with the new regime and I hope that we can find a temporary solution for them.”
One of the residents, Louise, who asked us not to use her surname, said the meeting was useful but added: “Whether our requests have been heard and will be actioned remains to be seen.”
She said the parking situation near her home has not improved since she shared her concerns in a Voice article earlier this year.
“Nothing has changed whatsoever. B&NES keep repeatedly using the same script to all our letters of complaint and are defiant they have done nothing wrong. We get abuse and threats from other drivers when parking on the A4. The police have confirmed we are not parking illegally.”
Another resident, Laura Murray, is among those who has been parking on the A4 since double-yellow lines were painted over her usual parking spot.
She said: “That’s the only legal place I can park because anywhere else is double yellows. They won’t let me park on the land outside my house because it’s not a dropped kerb and apparently it’s too close to the junction.”
Ms Murray said she had to deal with rude messages written about her in local Facebook groups, drivers coming past “effing and blinding” at her, and abusive language written in dust on her car.
She said: “I don’t feel safe in my own home at the moment.”
Manda Rigby, B&NES Council’s cabinet member for highways, said: “The need to provide these parking restrictions has been in the public domain for some time as it formed part of the transport assessment in support of the planning application for Keynsham Recycling Hub that was submitted in January 2021.
“The correct process was followed to introduce the double-yellow line parking restrictions through a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO), including notices on site and adverts within local newspapers as required.
“Once we have had time to monitor traffic safety, we will undertake a review of the parking restrictions to determine whether any changes can be made. We’ll also be investigating some other potential ideas suggested by residents for improving Pixash Lane.
“Separate to this, we have removed a section of double-yellow lines in nearby Ashmead Road, which will free up some parking there. These had been put in on a temporary basis when a booking system had operated at the recycling centre, but are no longer necessary.”
Voice reporter and John Wimperis, Local Democracy Reporting Service