Measures to ease Luton street's parking problems axed as residents now object to scheme

A long-running saga over a parking scheme in Luton is set to end with the scrapping of the restrictions, costing the borough council £2,500 to remove signs.

Residents initially raised concerns about parking issues at the junction of Erin Close and Douglas Road in 2018.

After the measures were introduced in April 2019, a fresh petition, signed by 34 residents in Erin Close and Erin Court, was submitted to the borough council soon afterwards.

It asked for the residents' only parking scheme to be suspended because of the financial impact on the people it was supposed to help.

The council's senior highways engineer Mark Barnett told the local authority's petitions and representations board on October 4 the scheme was suspended pending a consultation involving 46 properties.

"In July 2020, a consultation process began and there were 26 responses from 24 households," he said.

"One wanted the scheme to remain Monday to Saturday 8am to 6pm, two preferred the scheme to be changed to 8am to 8pm, while 23 called for the scheme to be withdrawn.

"As the majority want it removed, and it's been drawn out for a while, the recommendation is that it's withdrawn. The cost associated with that is around £2,500."

Concerns that residents' complaints could resume, if the scheme was removed straight away, led to it being suspended for six months, according to a report to the board.

A second consultation in July this year resulted in 34 responses from 28 properties, with 28 preferring the scheme to be withdrawn and six wanting it to remain, said the report.

Labour Dallow councillor Hannah Adrees asked whether it might set a precedent.

"My only reservations are we've people asking for schemes and permits, they go ahead with the consultation, agree to it, and then a couple of years later they decide they don't want it any longer," she explained.

"On the consultation, we need to be firmer or clearer 'you're going to pay for this'. It isn't something you can just back down on.

"We're going to incur a cost of £2,500. It's not a major cost, but it's still money.

"There's an annual (parking) fee of £60. This isn't something we can keep turning our backs on."

Labour Biscot councillor Haji Abid, who chairs the board, said: "It's always trying to get the correct balance and some of these problems aren't easy to resolve, particularly when it comes to traffic.

"There are no simple solutions with the traffic growth. There are too many vehicles basically."

Labour Dallow councillor Abbas Hussain recalled a decision being made 18 months ago, when he was chairing the board, to remove the parking scheme from Erin Close, and wondered why it had returned.

Labour Farley councillor Dave Taylor said: "At the time, we agreed to suspend the parking scheme for a period of time.

"Depending on the response, we'd decide whether to keep it or do away with it. Now the consensus seems to be we rescind the parking scheme."

Mr Barnett added: "It was originally due to be suspended for six months. But owing to personnel changes within the department it's been almost a year.

"The consultation process took place while the suspension was in place."

Councillors agreed to withdraw the scheme.