Honley parking and speed limit changes frozen until row is sorted out

Mar 13 2010 by Joanne Douglas, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Honley parking rules freeze over new restrictions row

PARKING enforcement in Honley has been suspended while angry protests over the new restrictions, due to come into force on Monday, are resolved.

Parking regulations and a lower speed limit through the village were due to be implemented in a bid to resolve the ongoing problems in the village centre.

But yesterday Clr Royston Rogers had managed to get enforcement temporarily suspended while the plans are revised.

It comes after Greg Christofi, president of the Holme Valley Business Association (HVBA), said the loss of car parking would penalise the shopkeepers.

Earlier this week the Examiner revealed that the village would be hit by new parking restrictions and a 20mph speed limit.

Waiting at any time will be prohibited on parts of Church Street, Cross Street, March Gardens, New Street, Southgate, St Mary’s Mews and St Mary’s Road.

Concord Street and New Street will see restrictions between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Friday.

Kirklees Council say difficulties for parents taking their children to the infant school coupled with complaints by residents attempting to access sheltered accommodation are behind the move.

Businesses say parking is needed to allow customers access and residents say irresponsible parking makes parts of the roads virtually unpassable.

Clr Royston Rogers said: “I’ve managed to get the parking enforcement suspended while we sort this out.

“The problem is that there is only so much parking and the shopkeepers cannot park in places where they want their customers to park.

“We need to free the spaces up for customers and I don’t think the shopkeepers spending £2 a week to park at the squash club is a bad offer.

“We’ve bent over backwards to try and come up with something that people will be happy with but we can’t please everyone all of the time.