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Workers told to park further away to make room for shoppers

Shoppers in Kings Heath High Street should find it easier to park their cars in future.

The city council is to introduce a number of changes following claims that too many spaces are being taken up by workers in the local banks and shops.

Those people who leave their cars all day will now have to park further away from the High Street or risk getting a ticket.

"These changes are being introduced since shop and bank workers are clogging up the side roads immediately off the High Street," says local councillor Martin Mullaney.

"For example," he says, "the spaces in front of the shops on York Road are completely clogged up all day with local bank workers. There is a need to push this all day parking further out from the High Street and allow shoppers to park close to the shops."

Traders have been consulted on the changes, which will introduce a one-hour parking limit on York Road, Heathfield Road and double yellow lines on part of Heathfield Road from the High Street to the community centre.

The changes are expected to be approved next week.

Moving bus stops

A number of changes have already been approved to speed up the flow of traffic in Kings Heath High Street and these will be introduced later in the year. They include moving bus stops, getting rid of a loading bay and adding a filter at the Queensbridge Road traffic lights.

Whenever there is a lorry in the loading bay by Boots or two Outer Circle buses use the stop by the Pear Tree, the whole High Street grinds to a halt, according to Cllr Mullaney.

Both the anticlockwise Outer Circle bus stops are to be relocated as part of the changes. The High Street stop will move closer to Addison Road and the Vicarage Road stop will move to allow a new access to the All Saints development.

What do you think?

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Joined: 26 Aug 2008
Posts: 1

At 20:15 on 26th August 2008, Emma J commented:

How is this going to be enforced and what are the implcations for those who actually live on the streets surrounding the High Street? Is this perhaps another attempt by the council to get residents parking implemented by the 'back door'....and in turn charging local residents to park, despite the fact it was rejected on masse at the last attempt. Ease the traffic in Kings Heath... get the railway link sorted now!!!

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Joined: 10 Jul 2008
Posts: 1

At 20:51 on 26th August 2008, commented:

If a one-hour parking limit is introduced on York Road, then the people who currently park there (both residents and workers) will be forced to move elsewhere, and will create an additional parking strain on nearby streets (such as Waterloo Road) - where parking is already difficult

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Joined: 28 Jan 2008
Posts: 4

At 11:23 on 27th August 2008, oliver s commented:

The overpriced car park on institute road next to Iceland is a typical example of parking management for kings heath - the car park is well situated and usually 80% empty. Can the local banks not subsidise this?

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