Flower barricades in line to stop drivers parking on Castle Green

9:00am Thursday 28th February 2013 in Somerset Photograph of the Author By Michael Marsh

CARS were parked on Castle Green at Tuesday lunchtime, but the council says this is to become a thing of the past. CARS were parked on Castle Green at Tuesday lunchtime, but the council says this is to become a thing of the past.

DRIVERS who try to park on Taunton’s Castle Green will soon find their way is blocked after new measures were announced to tackle the growing problem.

Large flower pots will be used as barricades to stop care-free motorists parking on the £3million development, which was re-opened as an open space by Prince Edward in September, and could be there within days.

Cllr Mark Edwards, deputy leader of Taunton Deane Council, said: “It is with great sadness that we have had to take these measures to stop motorists parking in Castle Green.

“This is the cultural heart of our town, it’s a wonderful space which a great deal of time and money has been spent.”

The County Gazette has carried a series of articles and photographs over recent weeks showing dozens using the development – which used to be a car park – as a free-for-all.

Planters will be used temporarily while legal measures are implemented and will be moved to restore Castle Green’s open character.

Cllr Edwards added: “I am personally hugely disappointed that so many motorists have chosen to disregard our polite requests to stop parking in this area.

“We are forced to take this action and we will be progressing the necessary traffic orders so we will be able to police this in future.”

The access road through the open space to the Castle Hotel car park and for deliveries to the shops and pubs is the only area vehicles are authorised to use.

Cllr Catherine Herbert, responsible for sport, parks and leisure, says it’s a “great shame” the council has been forced to resort to planters but believes they will be more attractive than ranks of parked cars.

Wessex Water diggers are due to move on to Castle Green on Monday (March 4) to carry out mains upgrades at specific parts of the development.

Comments(11)

cupra says...
11:06am Thu 28 Feb 13

"Wessex Water diggers are due to move on to Castle Green on Monday (March 4) to carry out mains upgrades at specific parts of the development."

So it's all completed... and now time to dig it up!!

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tom catherall says...
2:18pm Thu 28 Feb 13

This is very odd. A £3 million development, a highly paid contracts department and possibly consultants as well, no parking signs, yet it is legal to park there! Are big flower pots really the answer? Planters have been removed from other areas of the town centre. I expect you will find it is still legal to drive through the High Street and Paul Street though they are meant to look pedestrianised.

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Mi_Coc says...
8:49pm Thu 28 Feb 13

We're is the money coming from to pay for these planters and money for the brewhouse I thought they had to make savings?

Wessex water aren't going to dig up the regenerated section are you serious. The longer I live the more I think hitler might not of been as bad as you think, he would of had TDBC and scc bigwigs shot! We pay silly money for the top bosses and they are all incompetent but think they are the bees knees!

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Slow down! says...
11:25am Fri 1 Mar 13

“This is the cultural heart of our town, it’s a wonderful space which a great deal of time and money has been spent.”

Really?

It’s full of kids on skateboards, drunks, druggies and the occasional Aston Martin speeding through to the Castle Hotel.

What planet are these people on who believe it is the Cultural heart of the town?

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blackmasquerade says...
7:35pm Fri 1 Mar 13

And here was I thinking the cultural heart of the town closed last week :-(

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mr_sticks says...
9:31pm Fri 1 Mar 13

Due to a recent onset of Vertigo,I returned my driving licence to DVLA, which means I now use a mobility scooter or walk short distances using 2 walking sticks. Returning by bus from a physio session at Musgrove I had to cross Castle Green to reach the Parade bus stop to get home. I had 2 near collisions with cars while crossing the open space, and they weren't travelling slowly. And yet, there are large signs stating that it is a "Pedestrian Area". I say, "Bring on the planters. The bigger the better".

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Thurza says...
10:32pm Fri 1 Mar 13

mr_sticks wrote:
Due to a recent onset of Vertigo,I returned my driving licence to DVLA, which means I now use a mobility scooter or walk short distances using 2 walking sticks. Returning by bus from a physio session at Musgrove I had to cross Castle Green to reach the Parade bus stop to get home. I had 2 near collisions with cars while crossing the open space, and they weren't travelling slowly. And yet, there are large signs stating that it is a "Pedestrian Area". I say, "Bring on the planters. The bigger the better".
I agree,bring in the planters, these motorists are selfish, it is obvious that it is a pedestrian area but they don't care. I wonder who will be liable when someone is run over, T.D.B.C for letting cars park there?

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Mi_Coc says...
7:33pm Sat 2 Mar 13

Thurza wrote:
mr_sticks wrote:
Due to a recent onset of Vertigo,I returned my driving licence to DVLA, which means I now use a mobility scooter or walk short distances using 2 walking sticks. Returning by bus from a physio session at Musgrove I had to cross Castle Green to reach the Parade bus stop to get home. I had 2 near collisions with cars while crossing the open space, and they weren't travelling slowly. And yet, there are large signs stating that it is a "Pedestrian Area". I say, "Bring on the planters. The bigger the better".
I agree,bring in the planters, these motorists are selfish, it is obvious that it is a pedestrian area but they don't care. I wonder who will be liable when someone is run over, T.D.B.C for letting cars park there?
When I was there it wasnt cars who have been parking there racing around it was people coming and going to the castle hotel.If you look at the large tyres marks you can see lorries must be delivering there to.

I think you have missed the point these vehicles will still be able to drive between the hotel and the road. Its only the area by mecca bingo that will have planters on it.

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Thurza says...
8:31pm Sat 2 Mar 13

Of course it's obvious vehicles have to have access to the Castle hotel, parking should be stopped around the seating areas, the car that just missed a pushchair was reversing from parking on the Bus shelter side. As for kids on skateboards I probably would have been one of these as 60 years ago I went every where on roller skates!

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Somerset Tourist says...
9:37am Sun 3 Mar 13

Simple, access only. Those who are not delivering or not parked in the castle car park or the retail spaces behind HMV get the same treatment as parking on yellow lines.

No issue with bikes, skateboards etc. It's not like they have a theatre or decent shops to go to anymore.

I believe on another note, that Wessex wanted to do their work before the development happened at extra cost to them; however the council didn't want to wait and ploughed on regardless although they were aware of Wessex's intentions.

No doubt, the council will find some way to explain why their planters will cost into the thousands.

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Anonone says...
11:26pm Mon 4 Mar 13

I thought the paper had already reported that Wessex had a prior agreement with the developers that a small area should be left unfinished so that they could work there when the time came. Sounds like good planning actually and there is precious little of that.
I also read on these pages that one of the habitual car parkers was the manager of a local bar/restaurant. How about everyone boycotts the bar or better still parks on their forecourt. Name and shame these community oiks. Parking wardens to be issued with offending numbers to make sure they get booked for even the slightest future infringement in the town. Selfish blighters

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