The car park at Wimbledon Park Sports Centre is currently primarily used by local residents as overflow parking from nearby streets. This puts many off from attempting to use the sports centre, to the detriment of local people’s health and the usage of Southsea’s only such sports facility. The problem has persisted for many years, but is now likely to be exacerbated by the introduction of new MD parking zone around the sports centre.
Anecdotally we are aware of commuters leaving their car in the centre car park all day, and vehicles such as large commercial vans left for weeks at a time - all blocking spaces that could be used by sports centre customers.
For example, Southsea Badminton Club is the biggest in Hampshire, drawing players from across and beyond the city for our weekly Monday night sessions. Many local players walk, cycle or car share - however it’s not an option for everyone. The reality is that sports clubs often involve large numbers of individuals travelling from different locations, with equipment, late in the evening. However the car park is often already full with residents’ vehicles before our 30+ players arrive, making it access to their weekly exercise difficult.
We propose that in partnership with BH Live, some spaces within the car park are set aside exclusively for use by sports centre users during opening hours, with residents free to park there outside of those hours (or other equivalent measures to prioritise sports users).
We’d also like to request that more cycle hoops are installed, as there aren’t enough spaces for cyclists when the centre is busy.
This ePetition ran from 21/08/2019 to 04/10/2019 and has now finished.
13 people signed this ePetition.
The car park at Wimbledon Sports Centre is within the demise of PCC's sports facilities contractor, BH Live therefore out of the jurisdiction of PCC . However, since the introduction of residents parking in this Ward, BH Live have put their own system in place. This is parking by permit holders only that BH Live will issue and will be for 2 hours maximum. They will also offer a small number of passes to local residents at a similar cost to that charged by PCC. In order alleviate pressure on overnight parking in the locality, BH Live have agreed to facilitate free parking from 20.00 - 08.00. There will be soft enforcement until the end of October but after this time a company who is a member of the British Car Parks Association will commissioned to enforce this by fixed penalty.
There is a school adjacent and BH Live have agreed there will be a waiting time of 10 minutes for pick up and drop off of school children.
A full information campaign was implemented to ward councillors, residents, schools and BH Live members prior to the introduction of the system, being put in place.
Culture, Leisure and Regulatory Services