Shirehall rethink over Shrewsbury Elton John concert parking ban
Thursday 19th May 2011, 1:00PM BST.
Shirehall chiefs today admitted they had made a mistake over a four-mile parking ban for this summer’s Sir Elton John concert in Shrewsbury.
Shropshire Council initially said concert-goers would be prevented from parking in residential areas within approximately four miles of the venue.
They warned motorists could be stopped from parking close to the Greenhous Meadow Stadium in Oteley Road on June 12 when the singer arrived for his first concert in the town.
But Gareth Proffitt, spokesman for the authority, today said the information the council had put out about the exclusion zone had been “misleading” and it had now been revised.
He said: “It was initially stated that it was a very approximate four miles which may have been misleading but we have now listed the areas that are specifically affected.
“Any residents affected will be sent a letter.”
It comes as it was revealed that residents living within the exclusion zone would be handed one permit per household and have to apply directly to the council if they wanted more.
The exclusion zone covers Springfield Estate, Meole Estate, Meole Village, Sutton Farm/Sutton Road, Reabrook, Belle Vue and surrounding areas.
Mr Proffitt said: “On-street parking permits will be delivered to 2,700 households in the affected areas from next Monday.
“Each household will receive one permit, but will be able to request additional permits, free of charge, from Shropshire Council.”
Graham Watson, from Sutton Area Residents’ Association, today said residents were satisfied with the travel plan drawn up by Shropshire Council and Shrewsbury Town FC.
He said: “As far as SARA is concerned we are quite happy with the exclusion zone.” He said it is vital the plan worked well if similar events were to be held at the venue in future.
On the day of the concert Oteley Road will be closed from 3.30pm to midnight between its junctions with Meole Brace roundabout and Sutton Road. A diversion route will be in place.
Residents wishing to use the road to access their properties during the closure can request a pass.
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Oh, Mr Proffitt, have you had a chat with you’re colleague Tim Sneddon also at the council who admits that it was a mistake two days ago??
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I assume concert fans won’t be getting special treatment which is better than the rules football fans have to suffer every home game?
Should have let them have more car parking in the first place.
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Or better still have found them a more appropriate site.
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Putting a brand new parking restriction sign in every street in the four mile zone just for one day would have cost thousands … far better to just put up with one day of traffic chaos seems a much better idea!
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I should think so too.
Perhaps SC ought to have a nominated grown-up to look at some of their releases/statmements vis the implication of said statements. It will stop them looking like a complete bunch of amateurs.
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I dont know if this is more akin to the muppet show or benny hill.
We would be better off with monkeys running our council than this bunch of incompetents…
In my business if someone relayed incorrect information to the press they would be dragged over hot coals… no chance of that in the “jobs for life” council palace…
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Well done to the Council if they have responded positively to the comments and ridicule that they were getting. However why did they get it so wrong in the first place?? A bit of forethought would have prevented this embarassing climb-down being necessary.
Doesn’t say much about the rest of the Council’s planning making processes does it?
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to quote an old phrase:
“think before you speak”
comes to mind
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yeah and you believe the council?
£50 quid a car on a safe private drive in sutton farm, 5 mins walk from the staidum…
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It sounds as though the Council have an issue with STFC I wonder why?
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“But Gareth Proffitt, spokesman for the authority, today said the information the council had put out about the exclusion zone had been “misleading” and it had now been revised.”
Yeah,right.
What was misleading exactly about the idea of imposing a 4 mile parking ban zone?
It was logistically impossible to impose.
It would make the council a laughing stock.
No park and walk sites available for cash sales on the day.
Mr.Tandy needs to get his act together since he’s been against this concert from the start,remember his remarks about health and safety when all the tickets had been sold out?
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First of all Im a Belle Vue / Sutton resident.
The council are already a laughing stock as john says. For one random afternoon / evening I simply have no issue with people parking in my street. After all its the street of the community, the street of the land. Its not MY Street. Its the street of those who pay car tax and therefore can park on it should there be no yellow lines or they block the entrance to my or others drives.
WHO is exactly complaining here? Myself or some of my neighbours and friends who live in the zone do not mind one bit. Is it just Tandy trying to make a name for himself or indeed the council who are anit-STFC wanting this event to fail because STFC have sold 17,000 tickets compared to less than 1000 to see Kim Wilde and thus the concert has been cancelled?
Im from Shrewsbury, but why do Shrewsbury folk get things so so so wrong. I love my town. I’m proud of my town but I sit here knowing I live with a bunch of utterly selfish NIMBY residents who have no community spirit or who are psychologically incapable of dealing with change.
I await with glee the council’s road closure and no parking zone plans for events like the Flower Show. Oh I forgot my neighbours dont mind people walking down the street with Rohadendrum’s over their arm walking back from The Quarry but have issues with football fans and concert goers.
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Absolutely spot on!
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Spot on Matt. I’m only a 7-yr resident of Shrewsbury but I’m constantly stunned at the attitude of the council and some of the residents to any non-flower show venture e.g. theatre, Darwin Memorial, Quarry concerts and now this one. I’m going to the EJ concert not because I’m a fan (which I really am not) but because the better support these ventures get, the more chance we’ll have of getting bigger names here. But then again, that’s exactly what some people don’t want.
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Oteley Road closed? Then use it as a car park! Simples!
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