Council criticised as fence put up on Cannock Chase parking spot
Residents have criticised a council for placing a fence on a grass verge on Cannock Chase which people use for parking.
Staffordshire County Council has installed a fence on Chase Road around a section of grass, which they said is to guide people to car parks instead.
But a resident has branded the decision "expensive and excessive".
Peter Davenport, a founder member of Save Cannock Chase, and a chartered highway and civil engineer is a frequent visitor to the Chase and the Chase Road area in particular.
He said: “At present parking on the Chase is spread out across a number of small car parks. These have all existed for a number of years and spread the road traffic out.
"In particular those accessed from Chase Road allow people to walk safely away from their cars without crossing Camp Road which has a 60 mph restriction.They also allow less mobile visitors to marvel at the views across the Sherbrook Valley to the Peak District.
“I was surprised on Monday to see timber posts and poles being erected at the Camp Road / Chase Road junction.
"It looks like the intention is to prevent parking when Chase Road is closed but the posts are only a metre at best from the Camp Road, which is a 60mph road and could potentially form a hazard to road users.
"Given that there have been accidents on the Chase I would have expected any obstruction to have been at least three metres away from the highway.
"As Chase Road is open there isn’t any need for the barriers. I’ve only seen one instance where a person has parked in this area so it all seems rather expensive and excessive."
Victoria Wilson, Staffordshire County Council’s cabinet member for communities, said: “The fence is being installed at The Triangle to stop people parking on the grass around the tree and to guide them towards the free car parks nearby.”
