Row over Wellington car park closure

The 30-space Wellington site is currently locked but opens for special events or when the pavilion and pitch at the adjacent Bowring Park are booked.

Councillor Stephen DeLauney told the town’s annual assembly the car park is owned by Telford and Wrekin Council who negotiated that agreement with nearby homes, and argued that opening it would not solve parking and traffic problems by itself.

But Councillor Lisa Jinks said a Freedom of Information request had found that no written agreement existed, and said both the borough and Wellington Town Council had a “duty” to try to make nearby roads safer.

Town resident Dave Staniforth told the assembly the park had seen a “huge increase in use”, but added he fears for his safety when arriving on foot or by bicycle at the Haygate Road entrance.

“Usage during peak periods, school holidays, sunny days, weekends when sport is allowed, has significantly impacted traffic, parking and road safety,” he said.

“What has to happen before something is done to alleviate this congestion? A serious injury to one of those pedestrians?

“The big question for me is why Herbert Avenue car park cannot be used to address this immediate and real problem?”

Councillor Phil Morris-Jones agreed with Mr Staniforth that it “beggars sense” to “have a 30-space car park standing idle”.

Useful

Telford and Wrekin Council “have assisted in making the rec a success in other ways, but I can’t see why they can’t open the car park”, he said.

Cllr DeLauney, who chairs Wellington Town Council’s Policy and Resources Committee, said 30 more spaces would be “useful”, but it was “pure fantasy” to suggest on-street parking problems would disappear.

“If the park is popular spaces are going to fill up and you’re going to go back to having an issue on Haygate Road. If anything we should be looking at traffic management on Haygate Road.

“The borough has discussed the issue, and they feel they are not able to break that agreement.

“I am not prepared to turn round and say ‘to hell with what the residents want; yes, you might have an agreement but just throw that away’.”

Councillor Lee Carter, who is also a member of Telford and Wrekin Council’s cabinet, said opening Herbert Avenue car park would just displace the pavilion and pitch users’ cars, forcing them to park on-street instead.

Cllr Jinks said: “When plans were afoot to change it from allotments to a car park, neighbours were notified and comments sought, rightly.

“It appears neighbours objected to the car park remaining open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so the council decided to open it only on certain occasions.

“Appeasements made 50 years ago that are now binding on our residents must be challenged.

“There is a parking problem. The majority of that traffic is squeezing past people queueing at the cafe. This is an accident waiting to happen.

“Opening Herbert Avenue car park would provide safer passage into the town and the park and would keep users safe.

“Looking at traffic management measures is welcome, but not enough.”