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Fenstanton Parish Council Notice - Chapel Green

Posted: 24/03/2015


Chapel Green

The old part of Fenstanton grew up in the days of the horse and cart and roads reflect this. Unfortunately we now live in an era of motor vehicles which have increased in size and this has led to both inappropriate and often inconsiderate parking together with vehicles overrunning verges and greens such as Chapel Green next to the United Reformed Church.

This has now become so damaged that action is required. The Parish Council has taken advice from officers from County Council Highways and the conservation department of Huntingdonshire District Council. No solution is perfect and no money is available from outside organisations so your Parish Council will have to meet the costs.
To do so there are two issues which need to be addressed.

First the green has no solid edge to it so that as vehicles drive with their wheels on the road edge the roadway flexes to the point where it fractures. Once this starts it ends in potholes, which recur even if repaired because of the under lying weakness. We have been advised that kerbing around the green in conjunction with an adjacent strip of rebuilt roadway should dramatically diminish the need for ongoing maintenance.

Second is the issue of damage to the green from vehicles parking or overrunning. We have learnt by bitter experience in other parts of the village that the problem will persist if normal kerbing is used. We have been advised that conservation grade kerbing (which is present around the Clock Tower) if it is of extra height should deter motorists from driving onto the green. To permit pedestrian, wheel chairs and grass cutting machinery there will be ped kerbs at various points.

We have been told that the County Council will not consider widening the roadway between the green and the United Reformed Church but they would be prepared to consider the possibility of a couple of parking bays on church land should such a request be made by church authorities. The Parish Council is aware that several of those attending the church are less mobile so there is a need for them to ped outside the entrance (although, if the driver is able bodied, there is no reason why the car cannot be parked elsewhere) and events such as funerals require the hearse to park. Drivers will need to be aware that on occasions the road will be blocked and it may be necessary to go the long way round.

Informal discussions with residents have often raised the question of a one way system round the green but large vehicles like the school buses would find this difficult if not impossible.

Finally the question of water diversion resulting from the kerbing leading to an increased risk of flooding to properties lower down Chequers Street has been raised by a resident. The Highways Agency have examined this and do not feel it to be an issue. However they would be prepared to consider additional gullies should this subsequently prove necessary?

We expect the contractor to start in April 2015 so everyone will need to take extra care while the work is in progress.



Cllr R G Henderson Chairman Fenstanton Parish Council
12th March 2015
 

 

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