RBBC - The Design of a Highway and Parking Scheme in the Preston Housing Area, Tadworth, Surrey

Over the past seven years Reigate and Banstead Borough Council has been committed to regenerating the Preston area, Tadworth. Some notable inward investment has been achieved, resulting in a new leisure centre, and two significant housing areas off Preston Manor Road and on the De Burgh site, off Chetwode Rd. In addition, other elements include initiating and supporting new evening bus services, bus stop improvements and the creation of on-street parking lay-bys. These transport improvements have been carried out with the support and cooperation of the Surrey County Council (SCC), the Local Highway Authority.

Despite numerous new parking bays being constructed across the Preston area there is still on-street parking issues in the area north of Chetwode Rd, specifically in Long Walk and Coxdean. The Borough would like to appoint consultants in transport planning and highway design, to prepare designs for new parking bays, partly on the verge and with widen footways. Approximately 250m length of verge parking is involved. The budget for these projects comes from CIL funding arising from the development of the De Burgh site now being developed by London Square Developments.

New Parking Locations

Long Walk and Coxdean are located in the north of the Preston area. These roads are a popular access route used by local residents living within the Preston area off Chetwode Rd and Marbles Way for accessing the A240 to the north east or Epsom to the north west, rather than using Merland Rise, the principal district distributor through the area. These residential roads are heavily parked with most drivers parking two road wheels on the footway, restricting movement for pedestrians. The solution adopted in Chetwode Rd and Merland Rise involves introducing a battered kerb and paved verge to permit vehicles to park with two wheels on the strengthened verge. A similar solution is envisaged.

In Long Walk and Coxdean there is no verge. Offering verge parking will require widening the footways and aquiring land from Raven Housing Trust who own and manage most of the land within the Preston estate. Pedestrian footfall is high in these streets with the journey to school the most common trip. Initial preliminary agreement has been reached with Raven, and, as a result, they will freely dedicate what open space/verge is necessary to widen footways that will enable the new parking bays to be created. The client lead will be responsible for progressing the land dedication process with Raven and SCC. The consultant will support by preparing land dedication and licence plans under guidance form the client lead

Solutions for Coxdean may also require some treatment of levels, including minor earthworks and structures, particularly to increase the size of the existing layby midway along this street.