Fears of parking chaos as work begins on Sainsbury’s store in Neston

Jan 7 2009 by Carrie Catterall, Heswall News

NEW parking measures in Neston are “only the start of the chaos”, according to some councillors, as plans to build the new Sainsbury’s begin.

Significant concern among residents and businesses was raised after notices went up in Chester Road, British Legion and Neston Library car parks on December 18.

The notices, posted by Ellesmere Port and Neston Borough Council, state that parking in Chester Road will be restricted to a maximum of three hours (at no charge) between 8am and 6pm.

The British Legion and Neston Library car parks also have restricted parking from 8am to 6pm.

Cllr Myles Hogg said: “As the preparations to build the new store begin, there is a need to create new car parks to make up for the ones going to be lost.

“I expressed my concerns over traffic problems from the start of the consultation and now we are beginning to see the effects.”

Prior indications suggested that proposed parking restrictions would be in place only for the duration of the Sainsbury’s build, to ensure priority for parking is given to the customers of local businesses and the market.

However, some residents and businesses have expressed surprise at the speed with which the notices went up, without any clear explanation as to the duration of the restrictions, or clarification as to where town centre workers might park in the meantime.

Cllr Hogg added: “I think the council has been a little naughty by putting up these notices over Christmas.”

The parking order notice states a deadline of January 9 for objections to be lodged in writing.

It is feared that many interested parties will not see the notices until the first market of the new year, which is the same day as the deadline, and so will be too late to express their views.

Ellesmere Port and Neston Borough Council told the News that it put the notices up the day before the busiest Christmas market so as many people could see them as possible.

The authority was not able to supply a comment at the time of going to press.