Call for action on parking problems in Stourbridge streets

Councillor Andrew Tromans said repeated requests have been made for parking restrictions on Bradley Road and Turney Road, which are often clogged with parked cars and difficult to navigate.

Residents have told how shoppers and staff and students from nearby King Edward VI College leave their vehicles in the streets, which are just a short walk away from Lower High Street in the town centre.

Local resident Kerry Homer said the situation has become “a total nightmare” in recent months – “with all manner of vans and cars parked towards the bottom of Bradley Road”.

Cars parked in Bradley Road, Stourbridge (Image: Public)

She said: “I have observed council bin lorries struggle to get down Bradley Road and would fear that a fire engine or ambulance would too. It doesn’t bear thinking about.”

A number of other residents took to Facebook on September 19 to beg Dudley Council to extend the yellow lines that have been painted close to Lion Health.

Alec James Denby said: “The parking is terrible.”

While Tracey Harris added: “They are parking on Turney Road all hours of the night, with recovery trucks.”

Councillor Andrew Tromans, who represents Wollaston and Stourbridge Town, requests for parking restrictions have fallen on deaf ears and he added: “Over the last 12 months I have taken the principal of King Edward VI College and a senior highways officer from Dudley Council on a walkabout in the area to observe the parking problems - all to no avail.

Cllr Andrew Tromans in Bradley Road (Image: Public)

“Short of buying some yellow paint and doing the job myself I am running out of ways to support residents.

“There is a lot of development currently happening around Bradley Road which is to be welcomed, however, more consideration needs to be given to the existing residents and businesses there. The council needs to act.”

Holly Bembridge, principal at King Edward VI College, said of the problem: “I do understand why Bradley Road residents are fed up. When I have been there, I have seen plenty of problematically-parked cars. We send regular college-wide reminders about parking responsibly.

"I am sure that sometimes members of our college park badly on this road, however there are also plenty of cars there that do not belong to our students and staff. I believe that a sustainable solution needs to be found, perhaps via more regulation.

Vehicles parked in Bradley Road, Stourbridge, on October 1 (Image: Public)

"I have previously suggested that reasonably-priced parking for students could be offered on other nearby council car parks, and if this were possible I think it would improve the situation.”

Dudley Council said the authority is looking at what can be done to improve the situation, but it has to prioritise traffic resources for hotspots where accidents involving injuries have been reported.

Councillor Paul Bradley, deputy leader at the council, said: “As it stands there have been no reported injuries caused by accidents on either of these roads in the last three years.

“We know this area of Stourbridge has narrow streets and limited parking, not helped by the proximity to the town centre, but bringing in restrictions could simply push the problem to other streets nearby.

“We are considering what we can do to improve parking in these areas as we develop the Stourbridge town centre plan.”