One Suffolk Sixth Form parking havoc in Ipswich unacceptable

One Suffolk Sixth Form College has responded to criticism students are not taking up initiatives to reduce parking issues near its site in Scrivener Drive in the Pinewood area of Ipswich. 

A councillor for the area has called for the long-term issue to be "nipped in the bud".

One resident, who lives in Cherry Blossom Close, near the school, said: "It's been going on for nearly 10 years.

"The residential areas within a one-mile radius of the school, you experience this sort of parking.

"Students take some of the very limited spaces we have for visitors, family, friends or workmen.

One of the cars parked on the side of the road (Image: Submitted)

"We pay to live there and can't have anyone visit us because we haven't got spaces for them.

"They park on grass verges which need cutting but we can't gain access to them because cars are on them, they park on the pavements which means I sometimes need to walk my dog in the road as there is not enough space."

Students at the school have been asked to, should there be no space at the school, to use the Park and Ride car park near Tesco, which is free for students to use.

The resident continued: "They don't want to use that out of pure laziness.

One Suffolk Sixth Form College (Image: Newsquest)

"They've been offered buses for £1 as well , but they don't use this.

"Ultimately its very lazy, inconsiderate and disrespectful.

"They leave their rubbish around their cars, before vapes became popular, there were cigarette butts everywhere.

"You have to manoeuvre and swerve down my road sometimes, at one point an ambulance couldn't get down the road because of the cars parked on the side."

One of the cars parked along one of the residential roads (Image: Submitted)

A One Sixth Form College spokesperson said: "We are very proud we are playing a vital role in supporting the local economy, putting Ipswich on the map for all the right reasons. 

“With this success and the fact our numbers have grown significantly since we first opened, we have been continuously working closely with the borough, district and county councils - and we are constantly looking for - and finding solutions to - parking in and around ONE.

"Thanks to support from Suffolk County Council, students can park for free at the London Road ‘park and ride’ facility.

Parking near the college has been a problem for many years (Image: Archant)

“As part of this, we have increased our bus routes, providing our student community with affordable and convenient travel options.

“We have carefully analysed the travel habits of our current and prospective students to target our transport options to be accessible across South and East Suffolk and North Essex.

"By partnering with a transport supplier, we will be offering additional routes and stops in the future, with the aim of making ONE (and indeed all of our Colleges) reachable to those who may struggle to get to and from our educational establishments.

"We continue to emphasise local ‘Park and (St)ride’ facilities as a travel option and encourage walking, cycling and rail options wherever applicable.

Residents have left notices on cars to politely ask them not to park there (Image: Archant)

“We have always engaged with the local community, and we welcome further conversations and engagement with them. Our students are keen to play a central part in local life and we encourage them to contribute to a cleaner and more sustainable environment.

"And whenever the need arises our staff work with our students to ensure they continue to be mindful citizens who show care and consideration to others around them."

Suffolk County Councillor Christopher Hudson, whose electoral division includes Belstead and Pinewood, said: "This is a really long-standing issue.

"I do think we need to try and mitigate the problem.

Christopher Hudson, Suffolk County Councillor (Image: Suffolk County Council)

"The way to do that I think would be for students who go to the school to sign a contract along the lines of following parking guidance from the school as to where they can park.

"It's causing real aggro with the ratepayers and residents in the area.

"Students are parking very unreasonably and I am shocked and appalled at the way it's gone on for too long and it's rising again.

"We have to nip it in the bud."

The parking issue has been an ongoing one for years (Image: Archant)