Concerns raised about disabled parking bay size after High Street changes in Calne. Residents voice safety worries.
This change happened because of road work. The High Street is reopening to cars to ease traffic. Wood Street’s replacement bays concern Ms. Humphries because she says they aren’t wide enough and don’t allow easy exits.
This poses a safety issue for drivers with mobility problems on Wood Street. It is a busy street, and opening car doors is hard for her in normal bays.
Ms. Humphries thinks parking will be hard and blue badge holders may struggle to park. She says the old bays were used a lot and does not think the new bays are safe at all.
She says the library has a good bay, but she cannot walk up the hill. Sainsbury’s is too far for her to walk as well. She feels the old bays were essential and made town access possible.
The High Street is reopening one way as part of a trial scheme that should last 18 months. It seeks to cut down traffic, and work started last month. People can share feedback during this time.
If the changes stay, bays will be reassessed. Nick Holder, a cabinet member for highways, said bays moved to the nearest location. The road’s width limits bay size, and they cannot be wider than 2.1 meters.
Holder stated people can comment for six months after the reopening. Then, officials will review comments and decide on the scheme’s future. They can retain it, change it, or revert. Success would mean new bay locations get a review.