Parking ban bid to ease Durham Johnston School traffic issue

Residents of Redhills Lane, Durham City, first complained of parked cars making their street dangerous and difficult to negotiate more than a year ago.

Today (Thursday, February 6), Durham County Council’s highways committee agreed to impose a ‘no waiting’ restriction from Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm.

Neville’s Cross councillor Nigel Martin said: “I have to support the residents on this. There’s a lot of parking down the road, particularly at school drop-off and pick-up times.

“What’s being proposed is right and residents should be supported.”

The parking ban will cover Redhills Lane from beyond a bend near Priors Close to the junction with St Aidan’s Crescent.

Residents said cars parked on the bend meant motorists were dangerously coming at each other head-on and cars parked opposite their driveways made it difficult for them to get out.

One resident objected to the proposal, saying the ban should instead cover a shorter stretch of Redhills Lane, as had originally been proposed before the plan was extended slightly at the request of other residents last year.

The objector also questioned the cost of the move and suggested introducing a residents’ parking scheme.

But Dave Wafer, the council’s strategic traffic manager, said: “Personally I think we’ve got the balance exactly right.”

The cost was “fairly minor” and no-one else had requested a residents’ parking scheme, he added.

The restriction will be enforced by council traffic wardens, Mr Wafer said, adding: “This sort of restriction is generally very well observed.

“But there will be enforcement. Certainly we’ll give it some attention to make sure people comply.”

Coun John Turnbull said the road was terrible but asked whether the restriction would have a knock-on effect on St Aidan’s Crecent, with people parking there instead.

Mr Wafer said “displacement” was always a possibility but it was still the right thing to do.

The committee approved the scheme unanimously.