Howard Estate residents voice frustration over on-going parking issues

Residents of a housing estate say they are becoming increasingly frustrated with issues surrounding parking.

Howard Estate householders in Bury St Edmunds are complaining of the lack of resident parking due to double yellow lines that were painted several years ago.

The lines were painted on the entrance to resident parking and outside the front in Beetons Way meaning three or four cars, which otherwise would have fit on the entrance road, are now unable to park.

Many residents were left confused as to why the lines were painted in the first place with some believing it was because an ambulance could not gain access to a particular house, while others think bin lorries were unable to reverse.

Salon-owner Ann Thompson says it's unfair that all the resident parking has been dealt in the same way.

She said: "I spoke to somebody at Suffolk Highways and they told me the issue originally wasn't even our parking area. It was further up the road where there are three parking lots.

"Apparently an ambulance couldn't get into the back spaces to get to a house, which fair enough, that is a very important issue.

"But then we got put under the same umbrella even though our parking area wasn't an issue for that. It was more the way that the other parking area was designed which meant the ambulance couldn't get in."

Ann went on to say that the double yellow lines have only made parking even more of an issue.

She said: "I believe it's compounded the issue rather than relieving it. People are parking more irresponsibly now than they were.

"And I think the situation will only get worse. We have a teenage daughter learning to drive, it's inevitable at some point she'll want her own car because she'll need to get to work."

She hopes that the council will decide to remove the double yellow lines.

"Removing the lines would be a start because they're not needed. It's almost like a money-making scheme.

"Why on earth do they need to send parking wardens around here? There are going to be so many more dangerous places where people park."

Another resident, who wishes not to be named, adds that the number of cars per household is also the problem.

"We're a back square of so many houses but most of the houses have two/three cars per dwelling. You've got caravans around the back, vans, people dropping off children during the day - it's just a nightmare to find a parking space.

They said: "My car has been vandalised several times because I couldn't park in the car park. I've had one incident over the road where it's been vandalised and two times outside the front of my house. But it's not a random person.

"It's the same person using the same tools - marker pens and keys."

"Parking in (nearby) Anglian Lane is not ideal because of the traffic on that road and also in the evenings it becomes a drug drop-off point."

A spokeswoman for Suffolk Highways said: "The double yellow lines along Beetons Way were installed several years ago to ensure the safety for pedestrians and cyclists.

"There are three schools situated along the road (including cycle lanes and pedestrian crossings), which results in heavy footfall.

"Following an incident which resulted in emergency vehicles unable to gain access, double yellow lines within the access roads were installed to prevent cars from double parking and restricting access."