CHERTSEY residents are at loggerheads with churchgoers over parking outside their homes.According to residents, parishioners at St Ann’s Catholic Church have been parking along Eastworth Road on Sunday mornings since January, making access to their drives and visibility along the road difficult.
Residents say it is only a matter of time until there is a serious accident. Some have even started putting out cones around their drives.
Despite requests from priest Father Francis Preston and messages in the church newsletter, worshippers are still parking along the road.
One resident said: “There is no consideration here at all. Unfortunately, there are no restrictions and the council have no powers to deal with the problem.”
The resident also claimed they have been verbally abused by some motorists.
Police said they have not received any complaints or reports from residents about alleged incidents.
Another resident claimed parked cars are forcing traffic into the middle of the road with parents parking so their children have to get out into the middle of the road.
“Someone is going to get seriously hurt,” he said.
Father Preston said he has asked parishioners to respect neighbours in surrounding streets and that the church is looking into alternatives to ease the situation, including the possibility of opening up Salesian Sixth Form College.
“I did encourage them to park safely. They must park sensibly and carefully,” he said.
“It would upset me if some-one had been abused by members of the congregation. We have looked at the possibility [of parking in the college] but we are not sure if people would use it. I think the school would be quite open to it. It’s on the part of the congregation to use it but you are going to have to ask someone to make a commitment every Sunday to open and then close the gate.”
Dave Stockle, neighbourhood police officer for Chertsey, said if there is nothing illegal about the parking, nothing can be done.
“Just because someone complains about parking it doesn’t make it an offence,” he said. “There are no yellow lines there, so there are no parking restrictions.”
Surrey County Council officials assess requested changes to parking restrictions, however this only happens once a year.
The next one in Runnymede is not due until October.
Requests are then prioritised and presented to Runnymede Borough Council for approval.
Councillor Chris Norman said: “There are maybe 20 to 30 areas [that need to be reviewed] so they can’t really deal with it on an ad hoc basis.”