Changes set for a Batley town centre street to stop illegal parking

Council chiefs are to make changes on a town centre street in Batley to stop motorists parking illegally and clogging up the narrow cut-through where the traffic and parking situation has become “really severe”.
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Following pressure from local councillors, Kirklees Council is to enforce no parking on one side of Market Place and reduce from five to two the numbers of cars using a taxi rank.

The hours of use will also change from the current 24/7 operation to 6pm-8am seven days a week.

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The news was welcomed by Coun Fazila Loonat (Lab, Batley East), who said cobbled Market Place was used as a quick link route to get into the town centre.

Market Place in Batley, where the narrow cut-through is made problematic by on-street parking and a taxi rankMarket Place in Batley, where the narrow cut-through is made problematic by on-street parking and a taxi rank
Market Place in Batley, where the narrow cut-through is made problematic by on-street parking and a taxi rank

She said: “We have had a few accidents on here and so far we have been really lucky it’s not been serious.

“On one side of the road we have unenforceable no parking, which no-one abides by because there are no consequences, and on the other a taxi stand with a single disabled place making it a narrow two-way road frequently holding up traffic.

"We often witness undesirable vehicle-related behaviour.”

Market Place in Batley was one of the main roads that came up on the council’s Better Towns consultation, which was carried out a few months ago.

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Coun Loonat said work was going on to stop parking at the side of the road closest to the Market Square and take enforcement action against drivers that do so.

Coun Loonat said proposals for the hackney carriage stand had also emerged from reactions to the consultation.

She said a separate piece of work will be undertaken around disabled parking bays.

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