MEASURES to stop parked vehicles from blocking access to two streets in the middle of Horsforth are to be introduced in a bid to prevent a possible tragedy.

Kerry Street and Kerry Garth, off Town Street, are heavily parked on by office workers and shoppers and when fully parked up, the streets are only wide enough for one car to pass at a time.

Vehicles making deliveries to businesses often made them completely impassable.

Residents were angry at being unable to gain access to their homes and emergency vehicles have also experienced problems, with patients being transported to waiting ambulances on stretchers and wheelchairs.

As previously reported in the Wharfedale Observer, residents feared that fire engines would not be able to reach their homes in an emergency, and that there was 'a tragedy waiting to happen.'

The council will now advertise an experimental traffic order to introduce 'no waiting at any time' restrictions, particularly at the junctions of the two streets.

It follows a campaign by city councillors Brian Cleasby and Chris Townsley (both Lib Dem, Horsforth) and concerted pressure from residents.

Coun Cleasby said: "The measures are very welcome. We have worked long and hard with the residents to get this and it should go a long way to alleviating their fears."

But he now fears that people will park on three surrounding roads, which have not been adopted by Leeds City Council and consequently do not benefit from any parking measures.

"We have a responsibility to these people as well and will be working with them and the council to see what we can achieve."

The experimental traffic regulation order will allow the council to fully assess the situation over the next year and work out the most appropriate measures for a longer-term solution. The new measures will be introduced before the end of next month.

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