New survey goes out to Bury St Edmunds residents near West Suffolk Hospital over on-street parking

An informal survey is taking place on parking in the roads near West Suffolk Hospital to see if a consensus can be found on this ‘complex issue’.

Restrictions were introduced in residential roads near the hospital, in Bury St Edmunds, in October 2022 in a bid to solve long-standing parking problems, and followed public consultations.

Cllr Richard Rout said many people had been in favour of the restrictions, but some residents were struggling to find parking for themselves and visitors.

SuffolkNews reported in December on some residents’ concerns about the changes, which include single yellow lines and two periods of no parking for one hour.

Barons Road resident Sarah Williams had said the ‘9am to 5pm parking ban’ in her road was ‘ridiculous and very frustrating’. And Vanessa Cannon, who lives on Runnymede Green, said the two hour-long parking restrictions outside her home made life ‘difficult’ with her family having to move their cars to avoid being fined.

Cllr Rout has launched a survey to find out what people think about the new parking restrictions and whether there is a consensus. The survey also raises the question of a residents’ parking scheme.

Speaking to SuffolkNews today, Cllr Rout described the parking issue as ‘really difficult’ and ‘complex’.

He said: “The majority of contact I have had since the restrictions have come in has been positive and [they] have been welcomed.

“That being said, there are some people who have particular circumstances, perhaps they have a carer visiting or a lot of cars.

“Some of them have motorhomes and a lot of cars and they are struggling to find adequate parking for themselves and visitors, but that’s not been the majority of contact I have had to date.”

Cllr Rout stressed that the survey is informal to gauge opinion rather than a formal consultation carried out by Suffolk County Council on any changes.

“If there is a clear consensus for any particular change or variation, I’ll then try to secure that but it will need to be preceded by a formal consultation,” he said, and added: “What I don’t want to do is undo the good some people think has happened.”

The survey is currently being distributed to roads including: Barons Road and the closes off it, Rembrandt Way, Rembrandt Gardens, Sharp Road, Home Farm Lane and Hardwick Park Gardens.

Stonebridge Avenue and Grosvenor Gardens are also receiving the survey as, although they don’t currently have parking restrictions, overspill parking has been displaced to these roads, Cllr Rout said.

Cllr Sarah Stamp said: “It’s a complex issue that we have collectively, Richard Rout and I, have tried over the years to find a resolution to.

“I have been contacted by residents with mixed views I think it’s fair to say and I’m looking forward to seeing the results of the survey.”