Gornal News & Goings On

NEWS

Yellow Peril! Gornal shopkeepers fight parking restriction plan Feelings ran high at Monday night's North Dudley Area Committee Meeting when the usual attendance was swollen by dozens of Gornal shopkeepers who wanted to make their point regarding plans to introduce swingeing parking restrictions in the village. The proposed Order, which covers more than twenty roads, appeared in the Express and Star of Wednesday 5th February, and angry local Councillors informed the meeting that they had no prior warning of the intention to implement this Order until the newspaper item appeared, along with notices posted on lamp posts. It is feared that further limits on parking will decimate trade in the centre of Gornal, particularly as there are no alternatives for passing trade wishing to shop there. Speaking from the floor on behalf of a number of concerned parties, Jim Plumb asked that the "botched and confused" plans be withdrawn, while Paul Harris of Harris Home Furnishings said that the Order was "incredibly ill thought out" and that proper car parking facilities for the village were needed. Endorsing Paul's comments, Councillor Millward presented an initial petition with 54 signatures. All three Gornal Councillors are actively involved in the protests. The Chairperson of the meeting, Councillor Fraser-Macnamara, recalled that some years ago he was involved in an initiative to develop a proper car park for the area, and promised to dig the details out of his file. It is apparent that there is a suitable position for such a facility, but private ownership may be involved. Mr. Fraser-Macnamara undertook to organise a special public meeting of the Committee to discuss the situation as it develops, but in the mean-time it was stressed that anyone concerned by the plans should make their objections no later than the 3rd March to: Divisional Manager Traffic Division Dudley MBC Council House Mary Stevens Park Stourbridge West Midlands DY8 2AA People power is needed to win the day and now is really the time to press home the case for a proper car park for the community, the establishment of which would no doubt reduce or eliminate opposition to the proposed schedule of restrictions.

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