Preston residents' fears over "dangerous" parking

Five semi-detached houses on the junction of Cromwell Road and Watling Street Road, Preston, are prevented from having drives because of a large grassed area in front.

Residents are forced to park their vehicles on Cromwell Road, something they say has led to a series of accidents and near-misses.

Billy Gardner, 39, said he had to push his eight-year-old daughter back into the car as she got out, to stop her being hit by traffic.

He said: “I’ve lived her for five years and there’s been constant problems of people crashing into parked cars, knocking wing mirrors off, and people almost going in the back of you when you’re trying to park up, because they don’t realise you’re stopping.

“Between 4pm and 6pm, it’s terrible, people are frightened to come out to their cars because of the traffic.

“We have no option but to park on the road, and nobody seems to be interested in helping. Is it going to take a death for someone to take notice?”

Billy’s neighbour Thomas Hamer said his disabled wife struggles to get to the car during busy periods.

He said: “It’s a ridiculous situation and it’s been going on for too long.

“I’ve heard that the grassed area has a lot of services underneath it, so that’s what’s causing a problem. I know it’s awkward, but for the sake of safety, something needs to be done.”

The grassed area is owned by Community Gateway Association (CGA), but although bosses acknowledge parking problems in the area, say they will not be carrying out work to develop parking bays in the area.

A spokesman said: “Whilst Community Gateway does own the land, there are no Community Gateway tenants that live in the vicinity of the green, the properties are all privately owned.

“We have carried out investigations and conclude that this is not a project that we would undertake.”

Brookfield Councillor John Browne said he was "very disappointed" by CGA's stance, saying: “It would only take a small area of grass, and would make the area much safer”.

Lancashire County Council’s highways team said it was not a matter that fell into their remit.