Banstead Historical Society 

Dear All,

Set out below is a message relating to the activities in the Garton Field covering the occasional upset caused by selfish parking on neighbouring roads when football activity is high.  I do not have everybody's e-mail address so         I would ask you to share this with your neighbours so that everyone is aware of this attempt to knock this on the head once and for all.

I am sure that we can all agree that the Field provides much pleasure to us all for a plethora of activities and resolving this occasional irritant will make it all the more pleasurable. 

Kind regards

David Goldsack

(Trustee)

The Trustees recently had a meeting with the Banstead Village Football Club (BVFC). The purpose was to discuss further possibilities for the control of the overflow parking onto local roads that can occur during the two to three hours on some Saturdays and Sundays when matches are played against other Clubs.

A Few Background Points:

1. BVFC has made great strides with their own members, parents and supporters and there is very little contribution from this source
2. Additionally, BVFC has appointed a gate steward who is present during the time they are using the Field. People arriving who do not have a parking permit are directed to the Village centre car parks.
3. Comprehensive directions are sent to all visiting teams including details of the parking facilities. These direct them to the Village car parks.
4. November 9^thwas the day the Village celebrated the Day of Remembrance with the large contingents of dignitaries, scouts, guides, bands and their families. The car parks were full well before the football matches started.
5. From a few contacts made with vehicles observed parking selfishly on local roads they were all found to be vehicles belonging to families of scouts and/or guides.  
6. Many people who work in the offices and shops on the High Street do use the local roads for parking. Those in Garrard Road are very popular with the drivers at Banstead Coaches.

The Outcome of our discussions

Many options were discussed but many presented difficulties that could lead to supporters and parents carrying on as at present, occasionally causing difficulties on some roads nearby. The option of opening the gate into the Junior School that would make access from the Horseshoe easier is not a possibility at this time, although we continue to try to reopen a dialogue with the School.

We therefore came up with the following options:

1. To leave the situation as it is today with the gate warden directing cars to the car parks and allowing as many cars into the field as the weather may determine from week to week. We cannot act to “police” the local roads but would openly encourage residents to inform the Police where they observe parking infractions.  The BVFC has undertaken to ask their controlling football body not to organise matches on Remembrance Sunday in the future.
2. The next option is for you, the residents, to ask the Council to introduce road markings to prevent what would then become illegal parking. This is something that we, the Trust or BVFC, cannot do and it is down to the residents to ask for this, if they so wish.
3. Lastly, we feel that the most satisfactory option is to increase the parking capacity within the Field itself such that even on the busiest of days most cars might be able to park in the Field. This is an expensive option and will require financial support from the Local Authority, otherwise it would be beyond our means. To this end we are planning to obtain quotes for laying rubber grass matting that can be seeded to provide grass hardstanding for parking. We will then seek support from the Council.

Concluding Remarks

Whatever we do this is not a quick fix but hopefully it will resolve the issue once and for all. If option 3 is feasible it would be well into Spring before heavy equipment could move into the Field.

We therefore ask for your forbearance while all these options are followed through. We will update you as and when things progress.