Residents of Cornish village beg for removal of ‘nightmare’ double yellow lines

Residents of a Cornish estate in Illogan say double yellow lines, which appeared outside their homes last month, are causing chaos.

People with disabilities say they are being forced to park on them as there’s nowhere else near their homes in the village.

The traffic measures were put in by Cornwall Council and Coastline Housing, a social housing company, after vehicles were parking on verges, damaging grass, utility pipes and underground cabling. 

But residents of Coronation Road, such as Kenny May, explain the new double yellow lines have made the situation worse.

Mr May said: “It started last year when Coastline sent out a surveyor who asked us if we wanted single lines and asked if there were any blue badge holders in the street.

“Three weeks ago, the council started putting all these double yellow lines down.

“They allocated three car spaces for seven houses, five of these houses are blue badge holders.”

Signs have been put up saying: “Residents have rights – remove lines” and “Less yellow, more white”.

Many residents say it’s now impossible to park when they return home from work at the end of the day. 

People are now having to park in neighbouring streets which is causing its own traffic issues, with some drivers still parking on the verges.

Gayle Littlejohns said: “There are safety factors now – I don’t want my daughter parking elsewhere and having to walk home at two in the morning.

“Some people are parking on the double yellow lines as there’s nowhere else to go.” 

Deanna Butler said: “If you come back after 7pm, forget it – you won’t get a space. You have to park at the other end of the estate.”

Cllr Dave Crabtree, Conservative councillor for Illogan and Portreath, has asked for a review of the scheme.

In the meantime, enforcement of the double yellows will not take place.

A Cornwall Council report on the scheme states that, following the results of a formal consultation, it was deemed appropriate to introduce 'No Waiting at Any Time' (NWAAT) restrictions and staggered unrestricted parking bays to discourage inappropriate parking on verges.

The report says: “One of the objectors felt that the scheme was discriminating against disability and would like to have a disabled parking bay installed near their property. 

"It was highlighted that eligible disabled people may apply for a disabled parking bay should they wish to do so and meet the criteria.”

Coastline Housing said it would be happy to work with its tenants on the possibility of applying for planning permission to create their own drives. However, residents said they would never be able to afford that.

A spokesperson for Coastline Housing added: “Coastline Housing does not own this road or any of the verges. It is down to Cornwall Council to manage parking on public roads, and we have been working with them and discussing the issue with them since it was raised.

“The council looked into creating official parking from the verges but decided the cost would be prohibitive and would not support the county’s green agenda. 

“The only solution the council could therefore offer was double yellow lines.”

Credit: Lee Trewhela / Local Democracy Reporting Service