Have you noticed that a few new sets of double yellow lines have appeared in our area?
These are the result of Surrey County Council’s review of parking arrangements in our borough.
Surrey is responsible for restrictions on parking on public roads within the county, although the enforcement of parking regulations is with the borough council. (It is more efficient for the borough to enforce parking alongside running their own public car parks.) Every couple of years parking arrangements in the borough are reviewed. This often involves the introduction of new yellow lines, and sometimes changes to or revoking restrictions.
Requests for changes to parking arrangements can be made by local councillors, emergency services, bus operators and highways officers but also by local residents. Site visits are conducted and proposals prioritised in order of importance, and reviewed by a local committee of Surrey and Reigate Banstead councillors.
If approved, the changes are advertised in the local press and by notices affixed to lamp posts in the local area. Residents then have the opportunity to raise objections. Depending on the comments made, the changes can be implemented as proposed, or reduced or dropped altogether. Often residents suggest that restrictions are extended beyond that advertised, but this has to wait for a further consultation with all parties.
Please be aware that the main purpose of most parking restrictions is road safety – making sure that sight lines are clear for example at a road junction. In many of our streets there are too many cars for the space available, but often introducing restrictions in one street can cause problems with moving parking into a neighbouring street. This is why road safety is the primary focus, with the parking team needing to consider the likely consequences of displacement parking.
One of our recent changes has been the introduction of double yellow lines at the junction of Merland Rise and Preston Lane in order to improve sightlines for drivers, access, and road safety.
These latest changes are the result of a parking review undertaken in 2020 but implementation was delayed due to Covid.
If you wish to request any changes to local parking arrangements, the next review closes on the 28th of February 2022. In addition to yellow lines this review also considers parking bays, school keep clear signs and loading restrictions.
Full details and an online application form are available here.