Author Topic: RVC parking in Hawkshead Lane (Read 51829 times)

Ferdie · « **Reply #60 on:** February 23, 2009, 02:17:58 pm »

Ironically local councils are restricted by how much parking that can be allowed on new builds. The Government wants to encourage a more sustainable transport arrangment by encouraging car sharing, public transport and alternatives like walking or cycling. Companies and organisations cannot just install further parking. They would be fined if they did so and forced to remove additional parking over and above that allowed. There is an ongoing issue on the former Aerospace site in Hatfield.

http://www.whtimes.co.uk/content/whtimes/news/story.aspx?brand=WHTOnline&category=News&tBrand=HertsCambsOnline&tCategory=newslatestWHT&itemid=WEED06%20Feb%202009%2018%3A12%3A16%3A450

The same issues will apply to the RVC. Quite what people are expected to do where there is no public transport, they work shifts and can't share and walking or cycling is not possible I don't know.

Bob Horrocks · « **Reply #61 on:** March 02, 2009, 10:16:45 am »

PCSO Luxford has posted this on the 'policing' topic, so I thought it be better to leave it there and copy the text here.

Quote from: PCSO Luxford on March 01, 2009, 12:03:45 pm

Nightlondon

I have read your comment about HAWKSHEAD LANE and the fact "it is an on-going issue" is wearing thin. I believe a plan to create a car park for the Vet College was declined by local residents as it would have taken up some of the park area. There were advantages and dis-advantages to be taken into account and I am sure these were discussed at the time.
From a police veiwpoint, we can issue tickets for obstruction if the vehicles do not allow enough room for a pram/pushchair or wheelchair to pass or if the vehicle is parked too close to a junction. Tickets have been issued to the students for these very reasons.
The Highways Agency are aware of this problem and my understanding is theywill not paint lines in the road. As there are no parking restriction signs errected along the lane either, then there is little we can do. I sympathise with your viewpoint and wish an agreeable solution could be reached and soon!

Note: edited only to add quote with link back to original thread. David

Grant Shapps MP · « **Reply #62 on:** March 09, 2009, 01:20:05 pm »

At last, some progress to report on this very long running issue. See here:
http://www.shapps.com/forum/index.php/topic,2565.msg39564.html#msg39564

All best wishes,
Grant Shapps MP

Bob Horrocks · « **Reply #63 on:** March 09, 2009, 02:56:12 pm »

At last the bullet has been bitten and the rigt people have sat round the table to try and produce a solution to this thorny problem.

It will take a while for ideas to turn into reality but at least a major step has been taken.

Ferdie · « **Reply #64 on:** March 09, 2009, 06:53:25 pm »

Very encouraging to see what appears to be a constructive meeting with contribution from what appears to have been all the right players. If it works then it indicates what can be achieved when there is a desire by all to find a solution.

Custard · « **Reply #65 on:** March 10, 2009, 08:45:27 am »

This is very good news.

However from the minutes it is quite clear to see that the RVC is expanding. Surely there is a process that needs to be followed originally when you decide to expand and to make sure that the infrastructure can support it. It seems quite ludicrous that permission is now being sought.

Couldn’t the parking and the walkway to the station be rolled into one project to save money?

Nobby · « **Reply #66 on:** March 10, 2009, 06:55:54 pm »

If they painted double yellow lines, the students would have to use alternative forms of transport. Needless to say, the proposed solution is to tarmac over more Green Belt and continue to encourage carbon emissions by making it easier to use a car.

Bob Horrocks · « **Reply #67 on:** March 11, 2009, 12:03:37 pm »

I can symathise with Nobby's comments. However the car park surfacing will not be tarmac. If he checks out the surfacing of the existing RBVC car parks he will find they have a porous surface which allows rain and snow to soak through into the sub-soil.

Car parking is a huge problem, as witnessed by the change caused by charging to park at Brookmans Park railway station, and the parking on Holloways Lane at Welham Green. RVC students come and go at various times and the camppus is some distance from housing apart from the on-site housing. Whether we like it or not, students will use cars, as seen in Hatfield. The answer has to be more car parking off the road at the RVC, even at the expense of some Green Belt land. It has to be worth it to resolve the current horrors of Hwkshead Lane parking. Incidentally, where have all the cars gone recently? There have been far fewer parked on the road in the last two or so weeks.

'Custard' noted the planned growth of the RVC. The Green Belt Soc has told Welwyn Hatfield Council that it will object to any future planning applications for the RVC if it does not take parking requirements into account.

Carrie · « **Reply #68 on:** March 11, 2009, 12:31:48 pm »

What annoys me is the huge cost for transport to be provided to the students - only to find a maximum of 10 use this service. Ok, the transport can only be provided mornings, lunchtime and afternoons, but who is paying the £90,000?

southbury · « **Reply #69 on:** March 11, 2009, 12:41:03 pm »

I am sure like many others when I was at College we walked , cycled or used buses. Students did not have cars . Period.

I walked daily 3 miles each way to college through the most deprived parts of Leeds . Even at the time we thought of it as a ghetto.

I accept walking to the RVC is difficult at present . We all now that the paths are unlit and uneven at best. Could we not provide a well lit cycle/walkway from the Station along the route of the current footpath . Is that really too difficult for today's students to use ?

I also accept that the curent bus facilities do not work . Would it not be more cost effective and ecologically viable to run a mini bus shuttle service to PB station . Not only would this connect with the trains but also numerous bus routes to and from numerous destinations.

Put in the double yellows , don't build a car park but make the access better and safer . The students will still make it in safely .. but maybe not quite as comfertably if we pander again to the needs of the car .

Buster · « **Reply #70 on:** March 11, 2009, 01:48:36 pm »

The RVC should join forces with the university bus - increase the service with some shuttle services to Potters Bar & Hatfield.

Big Red Daddy · « **Reply #71 on:** March 11, 2009, 04:38:14 pm »

Providing an acceptable foot/ cycle path to Brookmans Park is going to help, but the majority of the students come from the Potters Bar/Little Heath area, where there is NOT ANY foot/ cycle path and can be very dangerous, especially in the winter. Can the pavement be extended all the way to Hawkshead Lane from Hawkshead Road(it currently ends near Boltons Farm).
I have first hand experience as I have ridden a bicycle and walked from Little Heath to Brookmans Park along that stretch of road, and have also had near misses with pedestrians/cycles when driving along the same stretch of road.

chicken legs · « **Reply #72 on:** March 11, 2009, 04:47:42 pm »

Quote from: Bob Horrocks on March 11, 2009, 12:03:37 pm

I can symathise with Nobby's comments. However the car park surfacing will not be tarmac. If he checks out the surfacing of the existing RBVC car parks he will find they have a porous surface which allows rain and snow to soak through into the sub-soil.

The porous surface solves the problem of rain and snow but doesn't solve the problems of birds which need to forage for food

NMLHS · « **Reply #73 on:** March 19, 2009, 11:26:16 pm »

The RVC, being animal orientated, is surrounded by farm fields and there is woodland within half a mile (it's called he green belt). Plenty of forage for birds.

GGDT · « **Reply #74 on:** March 24, 2009, 07:11:22 pm »

Quote from: Big Red Daddy on March 11, 2009, 04:38:14 pm

Providing an acceptable foot/ cycle path to Brookmans Park is going to help, but the majority of the students come from the Potters Bar/Little Heath area, where there is NOT ANY foot/ cycle path and can be very dangerous, especially in the winter. Can the pavement be extended all the way to Hawkshead Lane from Hawkshead Road(it currently ends near Boltons Farm).
I have first hand experience as I have ridden a bicycle and walked from Little Heath to Brookmans Park along that stretch of road, and have also had near misses with pedestrians/cycles when driving along the same stretch of road.

Correct me if I'm wrong but don't the RVC own all the land between Hawkshead Lane and Little Heath anyway?

There is already a footpath alongside Hawkshead Lane which goes from the RVC to the railway bridge so surely they could put some sort of foot / cycle path in across those fields from the railway bridge to Little Heath?

If this was done (and properly lit) then their students would be able to get from the campus to Little Heath, and then on to Potters Bar, in safety without the need to spend public money sticking in a footpath along Hawkshead Road.

Earlier on this thread the cost of £90,000 for the bus service is mentioned, use that money to stick a path across their own land and problem solved.

chicken legs · « **Reply #75 on:** March 24, 2009, 11:05:30 pm »

Quote from: NMLHS on March 19, 2009, 11:26:16 pm

The RVC, being animal orientated, is surrounded by farm fields and there is woodland within half a mile (it's called he green belt). Plenty of forage for birds.

But every square kilometre, even every square yard, which is paved, concreted, etc, leads to a reduction in our bird population.

Bob Horrocks · « **Reply #76 on:** March 25, 2009, 12:45:20 pm »

Quote from: Big Red Daddy on March 11, 2009, 04:38:14 pm

Providing an acceptable foot/ cycle path to Brookmans Park is going to help, but the majority of the students come from the Potters Bar/Little Heath area, where there is NOT ANY foot/ cycle path and can be very dangerous, especially in the winter. Can the pavement be extended all the way to Hawkshead Lane from Hawkshead Road(it currently ends near Boltons Farm).
I have first hand experience as I have ridden a bicycle and walked from Little Heath to Brookmans Park along that stretch of road, and have also had near misses with pedestrians/cycles when driving along the same stretch of road.

The North Mymms Parish Environmental Action Plan Steering Group (linked to the parish council) has already set the ball rolling on what may become a bridle way (which qualifies for some funds) between Bolton's Farm and the main RVC Hawkshead Campus. The RVC is very interested in the idea but it would have to be part of the over-reaching update of the RVC Master Plan which will form part of the updated Welwyn Hatfield District Plan.

I have walked the route with my contact at the RVC, and a footpath alongside the roadway would not be possible in parts due to the width between the hedge and kerb. It will not happen overnight but a start has been made.

Custard · « **Reply #77 on:** August 19, 2009, 10:05:48 am »

Has anyone seen (or know how we can view) the RVC's Travel Plan that has been sent to Herts County Council for consideration?

Editor · « **Reply #78 on:** October 11, 2009, 02:12:48 pm »

The latest neighbourhood watch newsletter (October 2009) says that the RVC has applied to create a car park for 126 vehicles to solve the parking problem.

Custard · « **Reply #79 on:** November 18, 2009, 12:57:09 pm »

The latest planning application seems to have disappeared from the council's site. Does anyone know if the RVC has pulled the application?

Mermaid · « **Reply #80 on:** November 18, 2009, 01:37:38 pm »

I don't know but the parking up there at the moment is the worst I've ever known it

Bob Horrocks · « **Reply #81 on:** November 18, 2009, 02:24:09 pm »

The application was not pulled - it has not yet been made but is thought to be imminent.

Custard · « **Reply #82 on:** November 18, 2009, 02:46:11 pm »

Sorry Bob there was an application to expand the facilities not the car parking. I can't see the expansion application anymore.

Bob Horrocks · « **Reply #83 on:** November 18, 2009, 05:52:48 pm »

The application for a new Teaching and Research Centre ref 2009/1890 has been approved subject to approval by the Secretary of State since it is in the Green Belt and is a departure from the District Plan. You can check for this application on www.welhat.gov.uk in the Planning section and click on 'view progress' it will appear, and then click on the decision button at the bottom of the page.

An application for a chicken house ref 2009/1651 has been withdrawn.

southbury · « **Reply #84 on:** November 19, 2009, 07:12:36 am »

Bob,

What are the feelings / views of the NMGBS on this ?

rgds

Custard · « **Reply #85 on:** November 19, 2009, 09:17:09 am »

Thanks Bob - A little surprised that they didn't need to do something about the parking first!

Albert Ross · « **Reply #86 on:** November 20, 2009, 01:58:50 pm »

I am surprised that the college do not consider more seriously the damage they are allowing to be caused to the local flora & fauna by not restricting parking on the grass verges. Surely the point of the college is to teach people to look after nature, not destroy it! I also find it an unacceptable hazard, especially at night, when trying to navigate this difficult stretch of road, surely the highways department should impose restrictions. I see the college has restricted parking around its own entrance pushing the problem further up the road (I’m alright Jack). I used to see a variety of wildlife along that stretch of road but now I hardly see a thing except squashed rabbits in the early part of the year probably caused by them seeking food on the other side of the road because most of it is just mud. This is a serious problem which nobody seems to be taking seriously, least of all the RVC.

Custard · « **Reply #87 on:** November 20, 2009, 02:30:04 pm »

What I find hard to understand is that the RVC is also a business. Their clients will arrive in large vehicles which may not even be able to make it to their destination in time because the lane is full of cars. I’m sure that I have seen that the RVC is worried about competition – obviously this isn’t that far up the agenda!

Advising clients to use one route over another would not solve the problem whatever way you went up or down the lane either!

I feel sorry for the students having to park their cars on the lane each day. The amount of money they must spend on replacing their wing mirrors and getting bumps out of their car is criminal!

epiphany · « **Reply #88 on:** April 14, 2010, 10:30:10 pm »

The RVC currently have a planning application for an extension to the car park for 121 spaces.

Jane B · « **Reply #89 on:** April 15, 2010, 09:18:10 am »

Theres alot of work going on in the top field where the local footpath is (near the Warrengate waterboard). The car park's not extending into that is it?

News:

Author Topic: RVC parking in Hawkshead Lane (Read 51829 times)

Buster