Forum Topic

New ! Brentford's Free Car Park

I thought we had paid for a lovely town square to walk in, but it seems to have become a car park at night. Our lovely town square with water feature and fibre-optic lit trees now has oil marks, is populated by vans during the day and cars by night. Is this what was intended? Or were the bollards forgotten? A council matter me thinks - and whilst they are at it - couldn't they straighten the phone kiosks which look so stupid, I have seen people stop to laugh at them.Didn't anyone do a final check before the payment was authorised ??

Nigel Lewis ● 3649d31 Comments

He probably has a fire brigade key to move the bollard.

Elizabeth Price ● 2959d

Talking to someone outside Greggs I saw how he got his car in just after 1030 this morning. Very cleaver, he has a key takes the bollard down drives in.

David Squire ● 2961d

Was it done by private enterprise?

Nicholas Beard ● 2961d

"Similarly the bland hardsurfacing within the Kew Bridge development immediately to the south of the Stable, where the marketing suite used to be, also annoys me as it could have been an attractive public space."There could be a lot more done with that area.  I asked the people at Hammonds Deli why they didn't put more chairs and tables outside and they said they weren't allowed because of car parking...I believe the council have been looking at buying and opening up one of the arches under Kew bridge to provide more direct and step-free access to the Chiswick side and I think that would attract more visitors as well.

Michael Robinson ● 2961d

Bollards are brilliant. Doesn't stop the black estate car which parks most days. I've been trying to think how it gets in.

David Squire ● 2961d

I noticed last night that there are now bollards in place to prevent anyone parking in the market square.

Reg Ghosh ● 2961d

I read something in The Chronic last week about some private firm who have the say over the fountain working. The question was how did something that was funded with public money get purloined by a private company, given the enormous amount that went into this fairly small space someone should really be kicking up a fuss, where is the council?

Vanessa Smith ● 3233d

Shame there isn't more/any landscaping/tree planting on the square, presumably because of the cost of maintenance.  Similarly the bland hardsurfacing within the Kew Bridge development immediately to the south of the Stable, where the marketing suite used to be, also annoys me as it could have been an attractive public space.

Adam Beamish ● 3233d

I see this space is still regularly being used as a car park.

Reg Ghosh ● 3233d

Its been empty the last few times I went past. I thought the habit had been snuffed out. Seems not :-(

Guy Lambert ● 3625d

Still several cars parking in the "car park", I've seen some drivers buying a ticket from the kiosk on the High Street and parking there.

Reg Ghosh ● 3625d

I agree with you Raymond, trouble is it looks like a car park as there's a big Parking sign pointing to it off the High Street and a nice dropped curb ro drive over.  Unless it's obviously supposed to be pedestrian only or has some signage people will continue to park there.  Like the 3 cars when I went past earlier today.

Reg Ghosh ● 3635d

Well, they are parking on the pavement and it is not a designated parking area, it is a pedestrian area.It does not need signage, a vehicle causing obstruction in a pedestrian area is a penalty .If the Police can nick people for driving the wrongs side of a keep left sign because of an obstruction then they must be capable of cooking up a few penalties for this.It is also damaging the york paving with oil drips and tyre marks.They should also be charged with anti social damage.That will soon put a stop to it.

Raymond Havelock ● 3636d

Why wouldn't they park there Nigel, there's nothing to stop them - no signs, no bollards, no yellow lines.

Reg Ghosh ● 3636d

And just to clarify - I think the town square looks great, is a fantastic improvement on what was a poor looking area with a bad reputation for crime and disorder. The council have done a great job of the improvements but need to have a proper inspection and signing-off at the end of works so any problems can be dealt with. If the council staff had visited the site at the end before it was handed over, they would have picked up on the issues such as the leaning telephone kiosks, benches too close to the fountain, etc and the builders would have had to correct them prior to final payment. Now the costs have to be met by tax payers money.

Nigel Lewis ● 3636d

Hi Nigel,Oh yes I appreciate that this is an important law and a reminder that it exists is a good thing. I just question the need for a poster picturing broken bottles littering the streets. That's the very image we're trying to eradicate.

Deborah Hall ● 3636d

7 cars parked in the town square last night including one vehicle actually parked on the fountain. This is getting out of control and requires the council to take immediate action.From what I saw it seems to be a new car park for the restaurant on the square. What concerns me is;  what type of people are parking there? They know it is a new town square and not a car park - so why do they not care about it?

Nigel Lewis ● 3636d

The no drinking is not a new law - S12 Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001, this has been used in towns for 14 years and is very effective at giving police and PCSOs the powers to reduce the instances of street drinking and the crime and anti-social behaviour that can be associated with it.

Nigel Lewis ● 3636d

The 'vast majority' is a reference to those who claim to speak for them. I too would not presume, which is why I put it in inverted commas!I'm not sure there's 'blame' for the fountains, which seem to work very nicely, despite the predictions on this site that they'd be trashed in minutes. I've not heard of people being splashed, other than various little ones who have been very much enjoying the splashing. I haven't noticed the signs, Deborah, but I'll take a look.

Guy Lambert ● 3642d

Well I for one think the area has been improved by the work in the Market Square and I love the buzz and excellent quality of products available in the market on a Sunday.By the way, as I understand it, the Council is not to blame for the fountains. I believe they are the brainchild of the owner of the Magistrate's Court who decided, after the plans had already been approved for the Market Square, to have them installed as an afterthought.  Had they been incorporated into the scheme at the outset, the overall effect might have been rather different.  At least the Council arranged for the benches to be moved as much as was possible into the pavement area, to try and reduce the water splashing.  I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong. May I make a plea re the picture signs which have been put up at both ends of Tallow Road, supposedly to discourage drinking in the area ?  Do we really have to have blown up images of broken bottles in our streets in order to enforce a new law?  This is the very image we don't want to see in reality and yet we pass  big pictures of it every time we enter the High Street. I  emailed the council several months ago about this when they first went up, but did not receive a reply.  Guy - any thoughts?  I appreciate you have more pressing issues to contend with, but these posters hardly help in raising the profile of the area.

Deborah Hall ● 3642d

We need more patrols of traffic wardens now. Since CPZ around Ealing Road, parking has been great now. Some people have been affected, but the locals have benefited. What we need is better parking for people who need to use local businesses, and stop those drivers who pack on the new town square, which is a great investment for locals....

David Rose ● 3642d

Yes that was the point of the op..to try to highlight that vehicles are parked inappropriately and should be stopped from doing so.. As to what 'the vast majority of people',I wouldn't presume to speak for them.

Keith Iddon ● 3643d

As far as I'm concerned it's finished to a perfectly good standard and 'the vast majority of people' agree with me. They just can't wait for the rest of the high street to get improved.We need to stop people parking on it.PS High Street lively again today despite the rain.

Guy Lambert ● 3643d

I agree with  the 'miseries', how much did that cost? Whatever it was it was a sheer waste of money, just saying it's O.K. on Sundays hardly justifies the expense and lack of care does it? I reckon it was done so that the poncey new housing etc. in the old court building looked as if it was actually worth the colossal prices being asked for. Talk about silk purses out of sow's ears, it's a mess.

Vanessa Smith ● 3643d

It's not really being a miserable lot Guy, it's seeing a load of very expensive new infrastructure being poorly finished and not achieving the objective of improving the overall ambience and quality.Council Tax payers and taxpayers and even local sponsors are one way or the other footing the bill and stuff ends up being sub standard.It's not unique to just here but it is surely up to the overseeing authority to ensure stuff is up to the high standard that is being paid for and that it does endure generations and create the right atmosphere.

Raymond Havelock ● 3643d

It is hardly a surprise that the wooden benches in Market Place are rotting. Which idiot put them right on top of the'fountain'? They are waterstained and already in poor condition. Does anyone have any commonsense any more?

Elizabeth Price ● 3645d

You miserable lot! Get down there on a Sunday morning when the marketplace is buzzing. I have heard that the ground floor of the Magistrates' court has been let to a bakery, hence all the activity there, though I'm pressing for the parking restrictions to be strongly enforced. I understand bollards will be installed shortly.

Guy Lambert ● 3645d

Seen women and their kids washing their feet in the fountains supposed to be regeneration of the area more like degeneration

Malcolm Hobday ● 3645d

I take it we are referring to the area around the magistrates court here?If so, it is a complete load of rubbish. Horrid paving, horrid seats, stupid water spouts (turn them off in winter to save the elderley from slipping and dying). Uuuuurgh

William Prentice ● 3646d

The whole of Brentford is littered with new lamposts, signs and street furniture which are lop sided,bowed, not properly finished or broken.The Market place benches are as delivered but are supposed to be weather sealed. The factory finish is only for delivery and installation, The final finish is supposed to be applied post installation to ensure all marks, scuffs and fitting holes etc are eliminated and allow a slow gradual and stable weathering.  The consequence is that they are already warping and splitting.It will be lucky if they last 5 years.The superb flagstones should also have been sealed to protect against oils and contaminants as well as making it easier to remove chewing gum.It may have been done but it still requires proper cleaning.In many places, Shop keepers and traders do this to maintain cleanliness and evoke esteem, pride and confidence in the area for customers.Maybe an incentive is needed. Contractors charge councils the earth for projects but time and again, there never seems to be an overseer with teeth who knows exactly how the job should be when completed.Quality control and a sharp eye seem to be a taboo for LBH and contractors and utilities know it and take the proverbial mile.And still the gate in St Paul's Park kids playground goes unrepaired as does the faulty lighting.

Raymond Havelock ● 3647d

Phone kiosks don't worry me but the parking does.I've raised it with the parking people in the council so I'm hoping it will be stamped out pronto.

Guy Lambert ● 3647d