Wonderful to have the Farmers' Market, but the parking has become dangerous and impossible. A virtual road-block on Peverell Avenue. Not for the first time! This development completely negates the philosophy behind Poundbury. The situation is only going to get worse.
Only one narrow lane (to the right of the people opening the boot of their parked car), was left for traffic to try and find a way through the square at around 1pm today.
One side of the thoroughfare, close to the roundabout, was completely blocked by parked cars.
Is this what is meant by a "shared space"? Is this really how it is meant to be?
To quote from page 45 of the excellent new Poundbury Twentieth Anniversary Exhibition publication:
"To the casual observer there may seem no rhyme or reason to the road network at Poundbury.
There is a distinct lack of lines, directions or signs in the streets, lanes, squares and main thoroughfares but the unorthodox lay-out is actually carefully planned. It could be considered as the purest form of traffic calming.
Much of it is based on the concept of 'shared space'- which mixes together pedestrians and vehiclse with few rules governing uses of the areas- as well as pedestrianised areas.
There was some concern in some quarters in the early phases of the development about the potential for accidents and injury".
To judge from the reaction in some quarters outside Little Waitose today, there is still very considerable concern about the potential for accidents and injury. Not, perhaps, from those who parked their cars in the middle of the main thoroughfare, right in front of the roundabout.
See also this extract from the Poundbury Magazine, Summer 2013:
Convinced? I suspect it will only become safer when the monument (the statue of the Queen Mother) is finally installed on the plinth, when the roundabout's completed and when drivers start to respond. Even then, on a foggy night...or on the day of the Farmers' Market?
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