Anger over Hartlepool double yellow lines plan

A 15 metre stretch of lines is to be added on Welldeck Road close to the junction with Hart Lane near Sacred Heart Primary School.

A petition against the proposal signed by 27 residents was lodged with the council.

But the authority says the lines do not cover any houses and will improve the flow of traffic and safety.

Resident Brian Smith who lives close to where the lines are proposed said: “Parking has never been an issue outside my property or in this road for the past 30 years I have been in residence.

“It is not only going to look silly, unsightly but makes a mockery of what yellow lines are set out to do.

“There is absolutely no necessity of introducing 15 metres of double yellow lines being painted on the road surface to incorporate outside my garage and property, this is discriminating against me.”

Mr Smith’s son David Smith added: “It gets a bit congested as does many areas across the town. All it’s going to do to people parking there is just move it 15 metres further up the road.”

He said there was no history of accidents in the area and said there are many other options that the council has not considered.

A Hartlepool Borough Council spokesman said: “School time parking issues in the area were eased two years ago with the introduction of a bus network improvement scheme on Hart Lane, but problems continued on Welldeck Road.

“The Hartwell Residents Association campaigned for a solution to the issue and following discussion with the group – as well as site visits to assess the extent of the problem - it was proposed that short sections of double yellow lines would provide ‘passing places’ where vehicles would be able to pull in amongst parked cars and allow oncoming traffic to pass.

“The yellow lines do not cover the area in front of any properties on the west side of Welldeck Road.

“The lines around the corner properties on the opposite side of the road cover the front of the houses to improve visibility, but don’t extend into the side streets so residents are still able to park outside their own homes. It is also important to note that the yellow lines do not prevent blue badge parking for up to three hours.

“The scheme was approved by the Neighbourhood Services Committee on the grounds that it will improve road safety in the area and reduce school time congestion.”