Residents implore council to close Stratford’s Windsor Street car park at night as frustration with anti-social behaviour continues
THE lack of action over the state of Stratford’s Windsor Street multi-storey car park continues to be a big issue for nearby residents.
One despairing resident, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of being targetted, told the Herald: “The car park remains an ongoing problem with further instances of anti-social behaviour including ‘drinking clubs’ and youths using the upper levels as a skateboard park during last weekend, both causing a high degree of noise and disruption to local businesses and residents.”
The prospect of it being demolished at some point as part of the long-awaited Gateway Project development has been used on many occasions in recent years to excuse its dismal state, broken lifts and frequent focus for anti-social behaviour.
At the top of Henley Street, it can be the first impression for tourists but is well past the point of getting a good review, while regular users are not quite sure what they might encounter, step in or smell, as they return to their cars.
As the evening draws on, the entrance is officially locked but the exit and the stairwells stay open, offering a place of refuge for some but a place for bad behaviour for others.
Neighbours have been pleading for something to be done and particularly can’t see why, when so few vehicles are left there at night, it remains open and fully lit, encouraging unwelcome visitors and doing little for the council’s electricity bill or climate pledges.
The resident added: “It would appear unfortunately that the proposed Gateway Project may still be many years away from fruition. Meanwhile the car park remains a magnet for ASB throughout both day and night.
“With a broken lift, evidence of drug and alcohol use and general stench of urine in the stairwells, coupled with ‘undesirables’ lingering around, it is a very unwelcoming and at times hostile environment for visitors and locals.
“If the car park is to be retained for any period, then action is required to significantly improve this facility, including fully screening each floor and providing full time security.”
The problems were among the issues raised at a meeting with police and district council officers in April and though some residents recognised the increased police activity and targeting of anti-social behaviour hotspots were having an impact, Windsor Street remains a concern.
As owners of the car park, Stratford District Council is the focus for many of those looking for an improvement – but they feel they are being fobbed off and are now considering a petition and pursuing further details of the costs involved in keeping the car park open all night, through freedom of information requests.
All a spokesperson for the district council would say at the moment in response to the Herald’s questions was that “a number of options are being explored and details of these will be released at an appropriate time”.
Meanwhile another resident, who again wished to remain anonymous on personal safety grounds, voiced her frustration with the council’s failure to deal with the issues over the car park.
She said: “As a taxpayer I’ve repeatedly asked why Windsor Street is not closed overnight when only a handful of cars ever use it between 8pm and 5am. Leaving it open actively encourages ASB. Why can’t they close it?
“It's really not that difficult a question and a very reasonable one.”
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