Redland dentist says parking zone is a pain for patients

A BUSY dental practice in Redland has become another victim of a new parking scheme in nearby Cotham.

The Redland Dental Practice in a converted Victorian House in Redland Road is suffering from increasing parking problems since the scheme was introduced before Christmas.

Commuters can no longer park all day in Cotham and are now clogging up the residential streets in Redland. Meanwhile, many streets in Cotham have empty parking places during the day.

Dentists' receptionist Amanda Charlton told The Post: "The ability to park outside or around the neighbouring roads is becoming increasingly difficult and worse for patients coming and going during the day.

Business Cards From Only £10.95 Delivered www.myprint-247.co.uk

myprint-247

View details

Print voucher

Our heavyweight cards have FREE UV silk coating, FREE next day delivery & VAT included. Choose from 1000's of pre-designed templates or upload your own artwork. Orders dispatched within 24hrs.

Terms: Visit our site for more products: Business Cards, Compliment Slips, Letterheads, Leaflets, Postcards, Posters & much more. All items are free next day delivery. www.myprint-247.co.uk

Contact: 01858 468192

Valid until: Friday, May 31 2013

"They arrive late, distressed, upset, cross and very flustered – it's a very bad way to come to your dental appointment which already raises the stress levels.

"We are growing increasingly concerned that the problem, instead of easing and improving, as the spokeswoman from the council so optimistically said, is getting worse. We are concerned that patients will start to leave the practice seeking somewhere with easy parking that Redland in its 85 year existence has benefited from – until now."

The dental practice has about 240 patients, eight dentists, four hygienists and five receptionists. Ms Charlton said they were not opposed to a parking zone in their own area but as they had so many patients coming and going each day, they would need some way in which they could park while they attended appointments.

The practice's concerns are a carbon copy of views expressed earlier this month by an architects' firm in Alexandra park.

The council says it welcomes comments about the parking scheme as part of a review which is taking place during the six-month period after it was introduced. Anyone with comments should send an email to respark@bristol.gov.uk.

A council spokeswoman has told The Post that residents' parking schemes were proving to be very successful where they have been introduced and many residents were coming forward to ask about a scheme for their own area.

Meanwhile, Lib Dem councillors Fi Hance and Sylvia Townsend have launched an online petition which urges council officers to press ahead with efforts to consult residents on a new parking scheme (RPS) in Redland. Ms Hance said she was pleased that Cotham residents had the scheme they wanted but it was causing chaos in her ward.