Residents say parkers are driving them to distraction

9:03am Thursday 6th March 2008

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THE streets around Nationwide's headquarters are being used as an overspill car park.

And residents say that the building society's employees who park outside their homes are making their lives a misery.

Each morning dozens of cars line the streets of Riverdale Close, Tismeads Crescent, Glenwood Close and Croft Road because Nationwide's car parks in Pipers Way are full to bursting.

It has left many residents unable to park outside their houses and has obstructed emergency services.

John and Mary Hamblin, who live in Riverdale Close, say that the problem has been there for years and is steadily increasing.

John, 81, said: "I remember last week, I counted 21 cars all parked in a row on Glenwood Close. It's causing a real hassle."

Mary, 69, who is an associate practitioner at the Great Western Hospital, said: "I've just returned from the hospital after being treated for a broken femur and the congestion is so bad that the driver of the ambulance which dropped me off had a really difficult time getting through because of the number of cars parked on corners.

"They just don't seem to care where they park. Some make sure that they aren't blocking driveways and others just park where they want.

"Most of the times it is just a few inches away from the yellow lines so they don't get towed or clamped. It is a hazard to be parked on corners.

"One of these days there is going to be an accident which is then going to cause a massive pile-up.

"We live in an area where there are quite a lot of elderly people and they have carers who look after them. There have been instances where carers haven't been able to get through and park close by, because the space is taken up by Nationwide employees."

Frank Webber, 80, who also lives in Riverdale Close, is equally unhappy about the problem. He said: "It just seems like Nationwide never has enough parking. This has gone on for years and it just doesn't seem to stop.

"Why should we residents have to suffer? It just isn't fair. There has been talk of closing the gate to Nationwide, which enables people to walk through after they have parked their cars, but it's never been done.

"It's about time that the council did something about the problem."

Eileen Wickerson, 78, of Glenwood Close, was so fed up with the parking issue that she put notices on the cars parked in her street yesterday morning.

She said: "I've just been out putting these notices on the cars."

"It's just ridiculous, there's about 20 cars parked all the way from where Glenwood Close breaks on to Riverdale Close all the way up to the roundabout.

"I've even had a neighbour come and ask me for notices since she's got cars parked outside her house. I had a delivery van park right outside my house and his reason was that there was nowhere else to park.

"He was delivering something for a resident and he couldn't find a place to park. They park here because it's quick for them if they park here. They don't want to walk far, and this is ideal for them, but why should we suffer?

"The new housing development coming in Wichelstowe will create more problems if this situation continues. The hundreds of houses being built will need parking spaces. What it's going to be like then, God only knows."

Nationwide employees said that hey had no choice but to park in streets behind their workplace because of a lack of parking spaces at the company's HQ.

And some employees parking their cars in Glenwood Close yesterday said that they had been advised to park elsewhere by Nationwide until the car parking situation is resolved.

One employee said: "Yes, we know there is a problem and understand that residents aren't happy about the parking, but as far as I am aware the company and the council are trying to sort it out. And hopefully it will be resolved soon."

Taimoore Rafique who also works for Nationwide, and had parked on Glenwood Close said: "I park here because it's closer.

"I've been around the park and ride, and also down to the car park, but there aren't any spaces so I'm having to park down here. I could park down Croft Road, but it's too far to walk down and I'd be late for work. If the council allotted us more spaces at the park and ride I think the problem would solve itself. At the moment we have 100 spaces there and say if we had another 100, or perhaps even 50 more, that would definitely help."

A Nationwide spokeswoman said the building society's Pipers Way site provided 1,600 car parking spaces for its 3,000-strong workforce. She confirmed that Nationwide was looking into alternatives for providing extra spaces.

She said: "Traditionally January and February are the worst months for parking as the numbers of holidays taken are low due to the days being darker and colder.

"We regularly write to employees requesting that they don't park in these residential areas given our good neighbour' policy.

"We are not aware of any internal communication that suggests employees should find alternative spaces within the surrounding housing development.

"However, we have sent out communications in the past encouraging employees to consider alternative means of travel work.

"To help reduce the numbers driving to work, we actively encourage green travel' by providing flexible contracts, home working, car share arrangements, extensive facilities for cyclists and motorcyclists and subsidised bus travel.

"Nationwide House Campus can accommodate more than 1,600 vehicles and we have an agreement with the local authority for 100 spaces at the park and ride.

"We actively promote car sharing and currently have 1,700 staff registered to use the car share scheme.

"We have put in a proposal to the council for additional car parking spaces and we are currently in ongoing discussions with the Highways Agency regarding this application. We are also considering opening new sites, which could create up to 200 extra spaces."

Dozens of cars have been parked in the side streets off Croft Road, in spite of more car parking spaces being made available by Swindon Council.

The local authority increased the number of spaces available to Nationwide staff at the Wroughton Park and Ride this week.

A spokeswoman for the Swindon Council said: "We currently have an arrangement with Nationwide allocating 100 parking spaces to its staff at the Wroughton Park and Ride but due to increasing staff numbers a need for extra parking has arisen.

"Following discussions with Nationwide we will increase the number of spaces available for Nationwide staff to use at Wroughton Park and Ride for a month, starting this week.

"Over this period, the number of extra spaces used by staff will be monitored so we can then make an arrangement for an increasing parking allocation appropriately.

"We are also actively working with them to improve parking on their site as well as green travel options' Councillor Mike Bawden (Con, Old Town and Lawns) has been working with residents to find a resolution to the parking row.

He said: "As far as I am aware, the borough council want to give Nationwide planning permission to build this extra parking space, but they have had a directive from the Highways Agency saying that the council cannot actually issue permission until the Highways Agency have agreed.

"I was out counting the number of cars parked in those areas yesterday morning and in Tismeads Crescent itself there were about 60 cars, and a whole lot more down Glenwood Close.

"I am now challenging the Highways Agency on the time they are taking to make a decision.

"I also don't think they are right to say that the council cannot give the permission.

"It is a problem that needs to be addressed now.

"The longer you wait, the more hassle it becomes.

"My first responsibility is to the residents and my second responsibility is for Swindon employers to have a fair crack at the whip.

"Nationwide employ a huge number of people and generally support the community, and I am supportive of that.

"We're doing everything we can to come to a solution and hopefully it'll be resolved soon."