'Woefully inadequate' parking near Hughenden Park criticised as drivers slapped with tickets

Cars parked on the grass verges alongside Hughenden Park's children's play area have been given parking fines by Buckinghamshire Council.

Writing to the Bucks Free Press, Jane Williams, from Prestwood, said the parking areas are always full, so drivers parking on the verges to access the beautiful green space should be given some "leeway".

She said: "I have been disappointed and dismayed recently to see cars parked on the verge alongside Hughenden Park's children's play area receiving parking tickets.

"Double yellow lines prevent on road parking and as there is no available allocated car parking space for visitors to the play area, where are people supposed to park?

"Admittedly the verges have been ruined but in these Covid-19 restricted times, surely some leeway should be allowed for people to park to access the play area and green space for exercise without fear of a parking notice."

She also questioned whether extra parking could be added near the "wonderful green space", perhaps by expanding the existing car park which serves nearby houses.

She said: "The parking areas below the church and off the Hughenden Road are always full these days and woefully inadequate for the park.

"Surely it is the responsibility of the council to provide adequate parking when installing an amenity designed to attract people to it?"

Ms Williams also suggested a shared cycle and footpath alongside Hughenden Park towards Cryers Hill would allow cyclists to travel that stretch safely after it was revealed Buckinghamshire Council had been awarded half a million pounds by the government for a programme of temporary "active travel" schemes.

A spokesman for Transport for Buckinghamshire (TfB) said: "Double yellow lines cover from the centre of the highway to the property line.

"Parking on highway verges causes damage that would eventually need to be repaired at the tax-payers expense.

"It also encourages parking over on to the carriageway, which causes safety issues during a time when our emergency services are at full stretch.

"In regards to the suggestion of a cycle route running alongside Hughenden Park to Cryers Hill; we will keep this on record.

"The government has provided funding for the provision of cycle routes with the criteria that they needed to focus on the re-allocation of road space – so where possible be on-street, so we are unable to provide shared footway cycleways.

"Therefore, the funding in High Wycombe will be focused on refreshing the existing east-west cycle route with the provision of additional solar stud lights on the sections of the route through Desborough Park and The Rye, which link to key destinations such as school and recreational areas that link with the main route."