New parking restrictions have, in the past week, come into force on Badger Hill, leaving students and staff in danger of being served penalty charge notices if found parked illegally.
The area is regularly used for parking by students and staff based on the Heslington East campus, as well as those living in the area.
The Traffic Regulation Order introduced by City of York Council will cover all of Field Lane, Low Mill Close, the section of Badger Wood Walk that is accessible from Field Lane and Deramore Drive between the Field Lane junction and the Yarburgh Way junction from 19 January onwards.
The restrictions on these four areas, however, will be slightly different. Field Lane, Low Mill Road and Badger Wood Walk will be Resident Permit only areas, meaning any vehicle not displaying a timed resident permit Monday – Friday between 8am – 6pm will receive a penalty charge notice and possibly further enforcement action.
As for Deramore Drive, there will be a single yellow line highlighting ‘no parking’ Monday – Friday 8am – 6pm between the Drive’s Field Lane and Yarburgh Way junctions, along with double yellow lines across the junctions at Field Lane and Yarburgh Way.
The new restrictions are particularly troublesome for students, as the only car park currently available on Heslington East becomes full everyday, with some drivers even creating parking spaces for themselves outside of existing bays.
The Civil Enforcement Officer (Parking Warden) will allow only a five minute observation period, after which time, if no loading activity has taken place in the vehicle, a penalty notice will be issued.
The solution to this reduction in car parking spaces is the new 150 space car park opening shortly on the Heslington East Campus. This car park will lie to the east of the existing car parking space available on the new development, which operates using a ticket and barrier system charging around £6 per day.
On the matter, Elizabeth Heaps, Pro-vice Chancellor for Estates and Strategic Projects for the University, commented that “The University is pleased that the City of York Council has been able to respond to the concerns of Badger Hill residents about parking on roads within the estate, by creating a scheme to manage parking on the estates roads.”
Students seem slightly more disgruntled at the removal of previously free, and perfectly located, parking spaces. Second year Law student Derek Williams said “I would hardly call this fair, I pay my road tax like every other person, and practically all the houses on Badger Hill have driveways anyway. For the sake of having a car outside for a few hours a day, I think it’s pretty pathetic that it’s come to this.
“I understand the residents’ concerns but the responsibility also falls with the University who need to provide more space, regardless of whether they want students to utilise public transport or not.”
Whilst I fully sympathise with those that have been suddenly caught out by the recent sudden changes to the parking regulations which may have been a bit harsh, I do despair when I read comments such as those by @Derek Williams.
Whilst I commend you on paying your “road tax,” it does not entitle you to park wherever you want. In fact there is technically no such thing as “road tax.”
The university does provide adequate parking, with spaces available by Physics, and also by the Berrick Saul building. Might I suggest if driving is that important, you park in one of these areas and take the free campus hop bus?
Alternatively try cycling, whereby you can use the roads without paying “road tax,” and there is ample parking everywhere.
Oh look, Badger Hill residents pushing against University students. Who’d of thunk it!?
@ York Vet
Well, the ‘tax’ bit of road tax is certainly correct! And clearly to the benefit of the Council.
Since this unassuming stretch of road will largely lie idle during work days, I agree that the restriction is harsh. It also strikes me as convoluted to have to park so far away from a destination as to require a secondary bus journey.
I would not recommend cycling if the distance to work is significant or Mr Williams needs to transport heavy items, particularly during the winter months when darkness and ice make this activity hazardous.
I live in the country. Many town dwellers come out to enjoy the Yorkshire scenery and a few park outside my house. Home ownership should not entitle people to exclude others permanently from occupying the public highway. If everyone succeeded in imposing the restrictions that Badger Hill occupiers have obtained, I think it would be sad.
“Road Tax” was abolished in 1937. Vehicle Excise Duty is collected centrally and councils do not benefit directly.
As for parking “so far away” – Hes. East and West are only about a mile apart, for goodness’ sake!
@Pedant
Vehicle excise duty (aka road tax, aka vehicle tax) raises about £300m more than is spent on roads & is a government revenue stream (ie tax).
Parking permits certainly raise money for York City Council a) directly through the permit scheme b) indirectly by restricting spaces to Council owned car-parks.
http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/8401470.Student_criticises_university_car_parking_rules/
A STUDENT from the University of York has criticised the campus’s parking system after landing £150 in parking fines.
Gavin Hardy said he believed not enough spaces at the Heslington site had been allocated for students like him who had bought annual parking permits.
The 24-year-old, who lives 30 miles away in Wentworth, near Pontefract, said when the university was hosting major events all the allocated spaces were normally full.
He said he had received a letter from bailiffs threatening to take him to court if he did not pay the remainder straight away.
Gavin said: “I pay a lot of money to go to university and I live on a very tight budget of £6,000 for the year from my student loan.
“£50 is nothing to them, but it’s a lot of money to me, especially as I haven’t been able to find a job this summer.
This is understandably a delicate issue. There is a balance struck between making the area safer (for both pedestrians and drivers alike) and the parking needs of the staff and students.
I have lived on Badger Hill for over 40 years, It has now become a University Campus, I do not want it becoming a car park as well, as for all the houses having drives, a lot of us have paid a lot of money to make them big enough for our needs, making sure we do not have to block the road as they are very narrow, all we want is a little respect for us and where we live, I know students think the world revolves around them, it dose not.
@MrsWard
I’m sorry to have to tell you that the world doesn’t revolve around YOU! All students who live a long distance from the University want to do is to park their cars during the day on a stretch of highway that isn’t being used fully. The land in question on Badger Hill that now has restrictions wasn’t even anyone’s house!
Nearly all of the homes in the UK are located close to something – your house just happens to be next to York Uni. One of the earlier
responders’ home is in the countryside – as he/she said, people visiting the great outdoors park their cars outside. Badger Hill is not unique – this happens all the time!
Of course, it would be great if we were able to lay claim to land beyond our houses that we don’t own. For example, prohibiting others from going in to York on Saturday to avoid having to queue in traffic. Banning other families from a stretch of beach for some peace and quiet. Stopping anyone who doesn’t live in the village from buying fish and chips on Friday night. But selfish behaviour like this rightly isn’t tolerated & Badger Hill people need to fall into line like everyone else.
I agree with the above, students should be allowed to park when attending the University, but it is the Universitys problem not ours, take it up with them and go park outside the Chancellors house, they take youre money then dump on us.Go make some banners, have a sit in, do what you are good at.