Rother parking problems: What should be done?

A seven-week public consultation will launch on Monday, November 19, to gauge the level of support for the proposed changes to parking restrictions in Battle, Bexhill, Rye and Robertsbridge.

East Sussex County Council has worked with Rother District Council to draw up proposals in a bid to address concerns raised by members of the public.

Cllr Nick Bennett, the county council’s lead member for transport and environment, said: “We have had a lot of feedback from the public about parking issues across the district, but as on street parking is the responsibility of Sussex Police the county council does not have any enforcement powers.

“The decriminalisation of parking and introduction of civil parking enforcement will enable us to deal with the issues that local communities experience, but we want to hear your views on the proposed changes to parking restrictions.”

Adopting civil parking enforcement in Rother, which requires permission from the Department for Transport, will help ease congestion, improve traffic flow, maintain good access for emergency services and allow all yellow line restrictions to be enforced across the district.

The proposed scheme must be self-financing which means charges for permits and pay and display parking has to cover set up and operational costs.

Following a review of concerns raised by the public and discussions with Rother District Council, the county council is proposing a series of changes including; introducing permit holder parking in Bexhill, Battle and Rye; introducing pay and display parking at some locations where there are existing time limited bays in Battle, Bexhill, Robertsbridge and Rye; introducing shared permit holder and time limited parking in Bexhill and Battle; minor changes to existing parking restrictions; and formalising existing ‘school keep clear’ markings.

Residents have until Monday, January 14, 2019, to give their views on the proposals, and can do so online at www.eastsussex.gov.uk/haveyoursay, or by completing a paper questionnaire available from Bexhill, Battle or Rye library.

Information about the proposals will also be available at Centre Stage, London Road, Bexhill on Thursday, November 22, and Friday, November 23, between 2pm and 8pm, as well as on Saturday, November 24, between 9am and 12pm.

In Battle, information will be available on Thursday, November 29, at Memorial Halls, High Street, Battle, between 2pm and 8pm.

In Rye, the information will be available at Rye Town Hall, Market Street, Rye, on Friday, November 30, between 2pm and 8pm and on Saturday, December 1, between 9am and 12pm.

Responses to the consultation will help determine the final scheme proposals, which will be subject to further formal consultation.

The process of introducing civil parking enforcement is lengthy and any approved changes would not be expected to be made until 2020, the council says.

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