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Over the years the entrance to Friends
Field has become more and more congested with parked vehicles. The
most popular suggestion from the residents of the estate would be
to have some form of parking enforcement, such as double yellow
lines from its junction with Cuckoo Hill to the lamp post outside
No1 Friends Field.
<<<<< Full House.
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A new proposal which has been put
forward to the Parish Council by a local resident is to construct
parking bays for 13 vehicles on this bend.
This would entail moving the carriageway over the the left, installing
new kerblines and cutting into the embankment
Currently the maximum cars parked is 7, but this is proposal nearly
doubles that number. Not one resident in the area affected, especially
at this junction was asked for their opinion on this scheme.
This is in direct contravention to their wishes in trying to get
some form of parking enforcement on this corner.
I suspect not one of the residents in Friends Field and Eves Orchard
would agree with this extraordinary plan.
The problems I envisage are:-
(1) The proposal would have cars
parked at an angle in marked bays at the top of Friends Field, which
means when they exit they will either have to continue down Friends
Field to turn around, or back out into Cuckoo Hill.
(2)The revised road layout would
see both kerblines moved and something like 50% of the greensward
lost. When the estate was built in the early 70`s this grassed area
was given a "Dedicated Open Space" status by Babergh District
Council.
This area is often used by
children playing games and enjoying the sunshine especially during
the summer months.
In this day and age, surely we should be giving more thought to
protecting the environment such as our Greensward, and not losing
our "Open Space" to tarmac
Blue - original kerb line
Red - revised kerb line
Green - lost greensward
(3)Extending the road (to the right
of the plan)and cutting into the embankment to provide these new
spaces, would jeopodise the 30 year old trees which are growing
along its side.
The tree roots would be severely damaged.
(4)In addition, cutting into the
embankment would require some form of stabilising to prevent collapse
into the roadway.
A very expensive task.
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(5)ELECTRICITY:- The original
plan (left)shows a single pole and stay wire. This is incorrect
and it also extends far more to the left than shown.
However,
in reality there is a large UK Power Networks "H" electricity
pole on top of the bank with a twin stay wire which would be seriously
undermined.
Both stay wires disappear into the
embankment approx 7ft from the existing kerb line. This wire continues
downwards to some considerable depth, and would possibly be anchored
to concrete blocks to give the wire sufficient tension to support
the pole.
This anchorage point would extend towards the existing kerb line
at the same angle as the stay wire. (see left)
This support would require
repositioning:-
(a) as it may well finish
up in the middle of a parking bay.
(b) cutting back the embankment will undoubtedly disturb this underground
structure
I cannot see for one moment
"Power Networks" allowing this to be relocated, as these
anchorage points need to accurately dissect the angle of the opposing
pull of the transmission lines.
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(6)GAS:- In 1992 when mains gas
back was supplied to No1 Friends Field, the connection was made not in
the road but in the grass embankment outside this property. Consequently,
the gas pipework supplying Friends Field is not in the carriageway on
this bend but under the grass verge of the embankment.
What`s the cost of relocating a gas main ?
(7)The new proposal would make the bend
outside No2 at a much more acute angle, traffic will be totally blind
travelling in either direction due to the Cuckoo House boundary wall.
Visibility is extremely poor at this point already, but this makes it
far worse.
(8)POLICE:- In the past the Police
have declined to support any parking restrictions along the entrance as
they deemed the parked cars as a traffic calming influence.
With the new proposal of having a full road width around this bend, this
will inevitably lead to a dangerous increase in speed around this bend
and its blind corner outside No2
Currently, not one single vehicle parked
at the entrance to Friends Field belong to residents of estate. They all
arrive from other parts of the village such as High Street, Cuckoo Hill,
St Edmunds Lane, The Croft, Sudbury Road etc
Not only that, cars have now started to appear which seem to belong to
car sharing schemes, when possibly one of the drivers has driven in from
another part of the district and changes vehicles.
At least with the 7 cars that currently park in the road, it is self limiting
due to the lack of space.
Of the 11 properties located along the left side of Cuckoo Hill, between
them are responsible for 18 vehicles.
This is discounting Pilgrims Garage and Cuckoo Barn.
However, not all of these vehicles are on the roadway, the biggest problem
being at the bottom of Cuckoo Hill outside Spout House where parked vehicles
restrict the view of oncoming traffic.
In the long term when the Slaughter House is developed with residential
housing, will there be a call for yet more spaces.
A further problem will be when the orchard is developed, large construction
lorries such as those carrying roof trusses will have to negotiate the
entrance to the estate.
In previous years the existing road angle has been so acute, construction
vehicles have resorted to mounting the kerb and cutting across the greensward.
This new proposal makes the situation even worse
The provision of these additional car parking spaces is like widening
a motorway. Rather than relieving the road of cars, it will just attract
more to the area.
In these financial austere times, I am
sure the majority of council tax payers do not expect their money to be
spent on providing car parking spaces for private owners.
This text is a selection of submissions
by the residents of Friend Field
Revised May 2011
Update July 2011:- Suggestion rejected
by SCC
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