Questions Submitted To The Scrutiny Panel lnvestigating Match Day Parking Issues By Councillor Habib Rehman

Here is a list of questions and issues which local residents have requested be put to the relevant organisations as part of Economic Regeneration and Transport Scrutiny Panel investigation into Match Day Parking problems in Middlesbrough.

I am now awaiting for a formal written response and as soon as I have this I shall feedback this information to local residents as soon as possible.

Please note, that unfortunately Cleveland Police were not represented at this Scrutiny Panel meeting but I hope that they can be invited to the next one.

Can I also thank all the local residents who managed to turn up at this meeting for their interest and support, thank you.

ECONOMIC REGENERATION AND TRANSPORT SCRUTINY PANEL  

FOOTBALL MATCH DAY PARKING 

MEETING: 24 APRIL 2009 TIME: 10.00AM 

MANDELA COMMITTEE ROOM, MIDDLESBROUGH TOWN HALL  

1. What legal powers and responsibilities do the Police have to deal with dangerous and /or obstructive vehicles parked within University Ward on football match days? 

2. Why have the Police abandoned and neglected University Ward on match days? 

3. What do Cleveland Police think as to how Match Day Parking problem can be quickly alleviated and solved and what attempts and efforts have Cleveland Police made so far to try and resolve it and how could this be verified with facts and evidence? 

4. What can Cleveland Police do to help reduce this problem as short-term “quick win” in order to build some trust and confidence with local residents and what are the longer term plans? 

1. What legal powers and responsibilities does Middlesbrough Council have in dealing with dangerous and / or obstructive vehicles parked within the town centre and within the University ward? 

2. Has Middlesbrough Council misjudged and failed to understand the consequences and implications for the increase in demand for car parking spaces due to year-on-year expansion of the town centre, University of Teesside, Middlehaven, Middlesbrough Football Club and James Cook University Hospital? 

3. If the Council has NOT misjudged or failed to effectively plan wisely to cope with annually increasing problem of traffic congestion, increased demand for car parking spaces causing dangerous and obstructive parking – Then please explain why is the town experiencing such unprecedented heavy and serious traffic congestion at times causing a gridlock creating a very dangerous situation, endangering lives as well as causing disruption, damaging the local economy and business community – Whilst motorists are let off free to park within residential areas causing unnecessary avoidable problems and then walking into town, university or the football ground? 

4. What attempts and efforts has the Council made in the past to try and solve this problem, and what work has the Council undertaken in the past ten years to deal with the parking issues in collaboration and partnership with Middlesbrough Football Club, Teesside University, James Cook University Hospital and Cleveland Police, and what evidence is available to verify this fact?  

5. Please explain why is it possible for all the other local authorities to work together in partnership with their football clubs and introduce Residents Parking Schemes on Match Days, whilst Middlesbrough Council and Middlesbrough Football Club are struggling and appear reluctant to solve this problem? Please explain why are some representatives from Middlesbrough Council going round trying to justify the Match Day Parking problem as “Just an inconvenience once a fortnight” presumably attempting to downplay the severity and the scale of this problem and thus avoid acknowledging and accepting responsibility to deal with it?   

6. How does Middlesbrough Council propose to alleviate and solve match day parking problems? How much of a priority and allocation of resources and manpower is Middlesbrough Council prepared to make and commit in order to resolve this problem and how could you verify this point with evidence to reassure the general public? 

7. What can Middlesbrough Council do to help reduce this problem as short-term “quick win” in order to build some trust and confidence with local residents and what are the longer term plans? 

7. What can you do to help reduce this problem as short-term “quick win” in order to build some trust and confidence with local residents and what are the longer term plans? 

1. What legal powers and / or responsibilities does University of Teesside have to deal with dangerous and /or obstructive vehicles parked within University Ward?

2. Is the University of Teesside aware of just how serious this problem is and the impact, consequences, damage and disruption to the town centre and on the local community as well as affecting other local businesses losing out on vital trade and customers due to blocked roads, chronic shortage and lack of low-cost strategically positioned car parking spaces within the town centre and in easy walking distance available to the university, town centre businesses, Middlehaven, Middlesbrough Football Club and James Cook University Hospital?

3. What is the total capacity for the student and staff enrolment at Teesside University and what is the total capacity of the University to cater for car parking provision, how is this likely to increase in coming years in the future and how will the increase demand be met?

4. Please explain what efforts and attempts has Teesside University made either individually or collectively in partnership with the Local Authority, Middlesbrough Football Club and Cleveland Police in solving this problem, and how could the University verify this point with facts and evidence?

5. What can Teesside University do to help reduce this problem as short-term “quick win” in order to build some trust and confidence with local residents and what are the longer term plans?