Halstead Rosemary Lane Car Park to see barriers installed

Halstead Town Council is set to install barriers at Rosemary Lane car park following ongoing complaints.

The small car park is currently permit-only and owned by the council, with permits valid from 8am to 6pm on weekdays.

It backs onto Butler Road car park.

However, there have been reports of anti-social behaviour and car meets in the area after 6pm.

A spokesman for the town council said: “The manager of the flats has been in touch and described the nightly experience of young men driving cars into the carpark, creating a lot of noise and leaving rubbish, which has meant that none of the residents have been able to get a decent night’s sleep for months.”

The prospect of sorting reported issues in Rosemary Lane car park in Halstead has been part of ongoing council discussions and was discussed at the April and May town council meetings.

CCTV was suggested as an alternative however was not pushed through any further.

A spokesman said: “The town council has since the May meeting received advice from the police installing CCTV would not be useful in prosecuting any driver.

“The playing of loud music and revving of engines while stationary do not amount to any kind of traffic offence or ASB.

“The advice from the police is the only way to stop the behaviour is to restrict access at night, and the council, therefore, recommends the installation of barriers, which incidentally is approximately half the cost of the CCTV.”

The proposal is to put metal fencing either side of the entrance, with a barrier in the centre, which can be locked in the open or closed position.

This would require the first permit holder to arrive each day to open the barrier, and the last to leave to close it.

It would also mean no members of the public could park there overnight.

At the town council meeting on Monday, it was unanimously agreed to install the barriers.