Double tonic for '˜damaged' grass verges in Woodhall Spa

Councillors in Woodhall Spa are hoping a combination of a new cinema car park and new bollards will help restore the village's grass verges.
The new car park at The Kinema in the Woods.The new car park at The Kinema in the Woods.
The new car park at The Kinema in the Woods.

The new car park is at the always popular Kinema in the Woods while the bollards line one side of Coronation Walk.

For months, councillors have been campaigning for measures to stop indiscriminate parking which was damaging the verges.

Many residents had complained various areas of the village looked like ‘The Somme’ amid claims the verges had been damaged beyond repair.

The bollards which line one side of Coronation Walk.The bollards which line one side of Coronation Walk.
The bollards which line one side of Coronation Walk.

However, grass has already started to grown again and Parish Council chairman is keen to see similar measures used in other locations.

Coun Clarke said: “We are about to embark on a further programme of verge protection now that the new car park is open.

“We (as a village) need to encourage everyone attending the Kinema to use the new car park and not the old one.

“Having signs pointing to the new car park would be ideal.

“Moving all, or most, of the parking into the new car park will certainly reduce the number of cars that are forced to park on the verges (as there was nowhere else to park) and that should allow more effective utilisation of verge protection markers (which we have a plan for this financial year).

“Moving down the road to the area outside the Tea House, we also need to encourage sensible parking (off the verges and not blocking the road).

“We will be working with local residents, the Tea House and Coronation Hall on ideas to make this possible.

“We will be looking at how best to extend the verge protective markers that was started by Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) in this area.”

Coun Clarke went on to confirm other locations were being considered. He added: “On the opposite end of the woods, there are suggestions about what to do with Coronation Road and King George Avenue, both of which suffer from excessive traffic and verge parking.

“A number of ideas have been put forward and we need to work with LCC on how best to meet the needs of residents, businesses, clubs and tourists while protecting both verges and woods.”

Ward County Councillor Patricia Bradwell - who had campaigned strongly for the bollards - said she was delighted they were in place. She also welcomed the introduction of the new car park.

She added: “Together, they should hopefully make a big difference.”

Coun Bradwell also noted work had started on the former Bath Spa complex.