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BPARA

Bletchley Park Area Residents Association

Parking Update

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Parking has long been identified as an issue by residents throughout Bletchley and Fenny Stratford. In West Bletchley, BPARA has been campaigning for the Station Parking Zone (SPZ) to be progressed for the last 5 years. The SPZ covers roads within 15 minutes walking distance of Bletchley Rail Station, under which parking restrictions would be introduced if sufficient responses by residents to consultation received by MKCC – this would be on a road by road basis.

By way of background:

  • The SPZ was originally proposed in 2019, and repeated in 2020 when additional roads were added, including Welchman Court and Tiltman Lane, which are roads opposite the entrance to Bletchley Park and close to the rail station.
  • The SPZ was not progressed, initially due to Covid and lockdown, and then due to failure by MKCC Highways to act.
  • Graham Cox, then Interim Head of Highways, attended a Special Meeting of the West Bletchley Council (WBC) Environmental Committee in February 2022. The meeting minutes record “The Interim Head of Highways advised that MKC would not be able to progress with the station parking zone until they had received confirmation from the Town Deal Board on proposals around Bletchley train station. MKC are increasing levels of enforcement and controls in areas that are identified as causing problems especially with commuter traffic.” As Town Deal Board members, both Helen Hupton, WBC Clerk, and the BPARA Chair knew this was untrue as the Transport Hub project, both then and now, relates to a potential eastern entrance to the rail station, and the western entrance on Sherwood Drive is not included. Parking Enforcement has not been increased, as promised.
  • In early 2023, BPARA met with WBC to discuss roll-out of the SPZ consultation which MCCC agreed to progress after the local elections in May 2023, which they failed to do in the 2023/24 financial year.
  • The Parks & Environment Manager’s report for the WBC Environmental Committee on 9 September stated “Station Parking Zone – Officers recently met with the Head of Highways at Milton Keynes City Council who said he will look at the Station Parking zone again but wants to report back through the Town Deal Board as they are looking at an overall parking strategy for Bletchley. WBC Officers will also ask for an update at the Town Deal Board meeting.” The BPARA Chair attended the WBC meeting to challenge this statement:
    • The Bletchley Parking Capacity and Demand Study has been in progress for several months. This study was commissioned as part of the Town Deal Public Realm Improvement project which covers Queensway – consultation on changes to Queensway, including proposals to address parking issues, is currently underway. This Study does not include West Bletchley.
    • A Parking & Moving Traffic Enforcement consultation that closed on 28 June. www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/consultations/parking-and-moving-traffic-enforcement-consultation.  The purpose of this consultation was to pave the way for a new Traffic Regulation Order for sites where MKCC could issue a Penalty Charge Notice to drivers who contravene certain types of parking and traffic offences at specified locations by using Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras.  Unfortunately, there was no mention of the problem roads in our area in the consultation information, and BPARA urged their members to respond and to let MKCC know about our problem roads. BPARA has requested details of the outcome of this consultation from MKCC.
  • At the Bletchley & Fenny Stratford Town Council meeting on 10 September, councillors approved a motion requesting “the provision of a formal parking strategy for Bletchley and Fenny Stratford from Milton Keynes City Council”. The motion also requested that MKCC and relevant parties work with both Bletchley Councils. The BPARA Chair spoke in favour of this motion at the Town Council meeting.
  • Although the motion was not mentioned at the Town Deal Board meeting on 16 September, Highways agreed to take forward the provision of a formal parking strategy for Bletchley and Fenny Stratford which would include the SPZ. The BPARA Chair reminded Graham Cox, now Assistant Director of Highways, that this has been ongoing since 2019! Highways to report back to the Board at their next meeting in November.
  • There are two roads in the SPZ area with serious parking issues that are not addressed by the SPZ which BPARA will raise with Highways via WBC:
    1. Wilton Avenue – excluded as it already has parking restrictions, but these are not observed by those attending Wilton Hall events, and enforcement officers rarely attend. However, the installation of a camera for the month of September only to monitor the Anti-Social Behaviour at Wilton Hall should capture illegal parking. Unfortunately, too little, too late as the peak Muslim wedding season which generates ASB is over!
    2. MKCC-owned carpark between Challenge House and 4 residential properties at the end of Sherwood Drive. Due to it being used by commuters and Challenge House employees, the residents have difficulty in parking outside their homes and accessing the carpark due to inconsiderate parking by others. There was also a  Sherwood Drive parking charges consultation which overlapped with one of the SPZ consultations.