Consultation about emergency traffic access is underway with residents and businesses in one of Cambridge’s oldest streets.
Fort Street with St John Ambulance on the right and at the end of the street the Police.
The 290m long Fort Street is mostly residential but is home to police and St John as well as a childcare centre, hearing clinic and a bridge club.
In a report to last night’s Cambridge Community Board meeting – held after The News went to press – Waipā Transportation manager Bryan Hudson said emergency services were concerned about the number of cars on the street which delayed response times.
Residents at a meeting facilitated by St John last week gave initial support for more formalised parking on the street.
Council proposes creating 40 marked parking spaces – angled and parallel – with some no stopping yellow lines to ensure there are two clear traffic lanes for police cars and ambulances.
Proposed work in Fort Street.
Several of the properties, including St John and the bridge club, are on leased land managed by the council.
The board was also told of a parking trial running to August in the Cambridge town centre. The trial changes parking times from 60 to 90 minutes and is similar to one run in Te Awamutu last year.
“The trial period would enable council to understand how this change could impact parking management in the town centre, how the longer time limits work for businesses and where shorter-term parking restrictions for higher turnover may be needed in the future before any more permanent changes are made,” said Hudson.
Streets affected include Victoria, Duke, Empire and Commerce streets.
