Parking restrictions are to be introduced along Falmouth’s seafront after nearly 80% of respondents to a consultation said they wanted them.
The consultation which was launched in November by Cornwall Council after concerns were raised about overnight parking along seafront roads with people saying they felt “uncomfortable” walking there.
Throughout the consultation period from November 3 to 30th, Cornwall Council received 602 responses to the proposals, with 79% of respondents in support.
It said, following the consultation, it had been resolved that the proposals for Boscawen Road, Cliff Road, Queen Mary Road and Swanpool Road will all be implemented, with one small amendment in the vicinity of No’s 23/24 Cliff Road.
The new restrictions are:
No overnight parking midnight to 6am
Cliff Road sections between Gyllyngvase Road and Castle Drive; Queen Mary Road west side between Queen Mary Court and Cliff Road.
No waiting, midnight-6am
Boscawen Road between No. 10 and Pennance Road; Cliff Road sections between Boscawen Road and Castle Drive; Swanpool Road sections north of Swanpool Beach.
In its decision notice Cornwall Council said: “There was a consistent feeling that the current situation was creating an unpleasant atmosphere, where people felt uncomfortable walking along the sea front, especially in the evening.
“Several comments highlighted issues in terms of ‘camping out’ on the footway, with benches, chairs, washing etc. The main concerns from objectors were the potential of displacement parking and the impact on ‘van dwellers’, especially during the current housing crisis in Cornwall.”
It said alternative measures have been looked into, and there are still ongoing investigations taking place looking to offer at least a partial solution .
Both the local councillor and the town council are aware that this is an issue that requires attention and are continuing conversations with various stakeholders.
It said the work is expected to start next month. Our works programme indicates that construction will start on site in February 2023 and will take around two weeks to complete.
The new parking restrictions will not come into effect until all the necessary works have been carried-out on site.
The consultation came out of The Falmouth Van Working Group which had been exploring the reasons and impact of overnight parking in and around Falmouth’s sea front area.
The group made up of residents, business representatives, van dwellers and council officers worked with The University Exeter to better understand the reasons why people stay in vans and choose Falmouth as a place to visit or stay for longer.
The proposals were nominated by Falmouth & Penryn Community Network (CNP).
Speaking after the consultation results had been announced, Cllr Laurie Macgowan said in a statement he was supporting the implementation of parking restrictions.
“I believe the benefits of introducing overnight parking restrictions (midnight- 6am), outweigh the negatives.
"Overall, there will be limited impact to people who choose to park in these areas, but it will discourage any vehicle staying overnight and remaining in the same spot for multiple days at a time. There has been an increase in vehicles doing this, with some negative impact on public access on the roads, footpaths and access to the sea front.
“I feel that in left unchecked, the number of overnight vehicles residing on the seafront will continue to increase, causing further impact on one of the most beautiful and used areas of our town.”
He said he was aware of the concerns the introduction of restrictions may have on some residents, including people who live in vans.
“The wider social impact of introducing parking restrictions has been at the forefront of our community engagement work over the last fifteen months. I commit to continuing discussions with key stakeholders to identify alternative sites and arrangements for long term van dwellers, local students and holiday makers who want to visit Falmouth in their vans, to find sustainable solutions for the varying needs of each group.”
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