Over the last couple of weeks, we have been out listening to the plight of residents who live around the Cippenham Lane/Bath Road junction in Cippenham.
For years, residents have suffered from issues with parking in their streets, brought on by several different issues that together have made life a misery.
Over-flow of parked cars from both Mercedes show-room and the nearby O2 office spills on to the residential roads in the area – meaning residents often cannot get off their own drives, their roads blocked so often rubbish goes uncollected and face abuse from employees from both companies whose ignorance residents are now sick and tired of dealing with. Local shops on the Cippenham Lane have had their passing trade affected because the parking bay is full of Mercedes stock regularly.
Not only are residents suffering – but also those who use the doctor’s surgery on Bath Road. We have heard from patients who are scared to get an appointment there because of the risk of getting parking tickets outside. The council in their wisdom have not put in place a simple solution that would help both residents and patients, instead choosing to milk the income from tickets.
This is the kind of issue that councillors are elected to help solve. The solution will not be easy – and will involve a lot of work with the businesses involved and the residents, as well as the council. However as usual Cllr Swindlehurst and the other current Labour councillors are guilty as charged in their absence from the front line on this. Well in their absence, I am listening and trying to help residents start to find solutions to the daily plight they face on their doorsteps.
Many have tried to get the councillors and the council to listen and help them, but instead they have been left high-and-dry. It is time Cippenham had councillors who aren’t afraid to step up in the face of heavy challenges when the going gets tough and are fully committed to them.
If you would like to send me any information or feedback to help with this issue please get in touch.
