Next step in plan for car park expansion that will relieve traffic chaos

Plans to expand and resurface an overflowing car park which has caused months of traffic chaos have taken a step forward.
Coun Ann Westmorland and residents who have been trying to get extra parking spaces, which will hopefully ease parking problems.Coun Ann Westmorland and residents who have been trying to get extra parking spaces, which will hopefully ease parking problems.
Coun Ann Westmorland and residents who have been trying to get extra parking spaces, which will hopefully ease parking problems.

Parking facilities at Fitzwilliam Country Park and Railway Station have been squeezed due to increasing numbers of visitors and commuters.

And motorists have been forced to park their cars on busy neighbouring roads, causing congestion in the village.

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Wakefield Council and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority announced plans to increase and improve parking at the site in January.

And now planning applications for the work have been submitted.

Neil Rodgers, Wakefield Council’s service director for planning, transportation and highways said: “We are aware that parking around the station area has been a concern for some time for residents and the submission of these two planning applications is the next step forward.

“The applications will be considered by the planning committee through the standard procedures.”

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Under the plans, the car park off Wentworth Terrace would be resurfaced and extended to provide 18 more spaces.

A new car park would also be created off Railway Terrace, providing another space in the process.

Coun Ann Westmorland, Fitzwilliam councillor on Hemsworth Town Council said villagers had endured traffic problems for “long enough”.

She said people had been parking along residential streets, blocking residents’ homes and preventing emergency vehicles from getting through.

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”We really are desperate to get this sorted,” she said. “It’s terrible for people. They are worried about getting blocked in their homes. If something isn’t sorted soon there’s going to be more chaos.”

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