New on-street parking comes to Chichester to tackle parking pressures

Action is being taken to tackle growing pressures for on-street parking demands in Chichester in a move that will have a range of benefits for the area.

As part of the city-wide Parking Management Plan, work will soon begin to address the current and future on-street parking demand within Chichester. Ultimately, the improvements will help support economic development, improve safety and promote more sustainable forms of transport.

There is already a successful Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) in Chichester and it’s similar in design and operation to existing CPZs across West Sussex, in Billingshurst, Bognor Regis, Crawley, East Grinstead, Horsham and Worthing.

West Sussex County Council consulted widely in March 2019 and February 2020 on the improvements now about to be introduced. Work is due to start this month (March 2021). Signage and lines will be put in place ready for when the new and extended CPZs come into effect later in the year.

Benefits include:

• Safer arrangements for parking near junctions;
• Protection for through traffic on main arterial routes, especially for local bus services;
• Priority for residents and their visitors who rely upon on-street parking;
• Less traffic congestion and pollution arising due to vehicles ‘searching’ for parking spaces in uncontrolled areas;
• Improved arrangements for Blue Badge holders in residential areas; and
• Safeguards for short-stay parking and deliveries near local neighbourhood shops.

This first phase of improvements will start this month (subject to factors such as extreme weather) and will see the alteration of road markings and signs in the following areas:

Donnington (new Zone A), Whyke (extension to existing Zone F), The Hornet (extension to existing Zone H), Little Breach (extension to existing Zone N), and Swanfield (new Zone S).

Leaflets have been sent to residents in all roads included in the new and extended zones, giving them advance notice of works starting and advising where they can find further details, and when/how they may get a parking permit.

Care has been taken to minimise the visual impact of new signs and, wherever possible, remove existing ones which are no longer required. The works will be undertaken over several weeks and because the overall scheme is covered by one legal ‘traffic order’, the scheme can only start to be enforced legally once all the new markings and signs are in place across the whole scheme.

The new and extended CPZs will be administered by Chichester District Council, who also oversees the enforcement of on-street parking across the district on the County Council’s behalf. The District Council is currently setting up new online systems to deal with new permit applications. More details on how the new or extended zones will work, including a map of the areas covered, how/when to apply for permits and how much they will cost, can be found via the following this link.

The webpage will be updated as the implementation progresses.

Which roads are included in phase 1?

Zone A (new zone) includes:
Belgrave Crescent, Birdham Road, Bywater Way, Crosbie Close, Croy Close, Cutfield Close, Deer Close, Forge Close, Gordon Avenue, Graydon Avenue, Grenville Gardens, Grosvenor Road, Manor Close, Marden Avenue, Poyntz Close, Selsey Road, Southfields Close, St Georges Drive, Stockbridge Gardens, Stockbridge Road, The Meadows, Turnpike Close, Upton Road, Waterside Drive and Wiston Avenue.

Zone F will now be extended to include:
Cawley Road, Ormonde Avenue, Peter Weston Place, Quest Close, Velyn Avenue and Winden Avenue.

Zone H will now be extended to include:
Needlemakers, St Agnes Place, St Pancras and The Hornet.

Zone N will now be extended to include:
Broyle Close, Broyle Road, Infirmary Terrace, King George Gardens, Little Breach (all), Springbank and Wellington Road.

Zone S (new zone) includes:
Badger Walk, Barnfield Drive, Baxendale Road, Bostock Road, Bradshaw Road, Carse Road, Conduit Mead, Cornflower Close, Graylingwell Drive, Harvester Close, Kidd Road, Kingsmead Avenue, Lime Close, Mansergh Road, Millfield Close, Morants Close , Palmers Field Avenue, Peacock Close, Seddon Close, Sloe Close, Southdown Close, Spitalfield Lane (part only), Stephens Close, Story Road, Swanfield Drive, Tenacre Close, The Pitcroft, The Waterplat and Westhampnett Road (part only).