Some progress on parking, but still concerns

The situation on James Street has been a topic of discussion at North Sunderland Parish Council many times over the past few years.

While parking is an issue across the village, this stretch is particularly key because it is used by school buses and ambulances getting to the medical centre. From later this year, the middle-school site is to house the primary school, so the issues could increase.

At Monday night’s parish-council meeting, chairman Coun Geoffrey Stewart told members that no waiting at any time restrictions are to be introduced from the King Street junction down to the cut.

But Coun David Shiel said: “They are going to move that problem further down.”

A resident of James Street agreed, saying: “The top is the best because you have lines on one side. The worst bit is by the cut where the road narrows and it will be worse.”

Alan Haile, who took over the old police station last year, reported that parked vehicles often blocked pavements for buggies and wheelchairs.

Coun Stewart also mentioned the possibility of installing grasscrete in the horseshoe area on James Street so that cars can park there, but the costs would be thousands of pounds.

“You would get a lot of cars on in that horseshoe,” he said. “You wouldn’t be affecting the footpath and the curbs are low enough for cars to get in.”