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Hello yellow

Some of my neighbours, angry that visitors to our town use our residential road as a free "Park & Walk", have petitioned for single yellow lines on both sides of the road which will prevent daytime on-road parking. Inevitably this will impair normal socialising for all residents, but more importantly it will encourage speeding. At present, parked cars are natural chicanes that slow traffic. If they are removed, is it not likely that the next petition will be for the dreaded speed humps? Wouldn't it be more sensible to permit parking on one side of the road for the convenience of residents' visitors and to create natural traffic calming?

Asked on 20 March 2010 by C.M., Stratford-upon-Avon

Answered by Honest John
You are right that parked cars do create chicanes that reduce traffic
speeds. I think you ought to point this out to your campaigning
neighbours. Near where I live we have both. Sometimes cars park so close to the speed cushions and traffic islands they reduce speeds to 5mph. And in snow, passing cars can slide down the sides of the speed cushions into the parked cars.
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