“Couldn't agree with you more.

I personally don't think the bus stops would be a good idea on the main roads. The school kids would certainly end up in danger, let alone two stationary buses impeding traffic flow on a far busier road.
Also I can not condone someone parking in a deliberately difficult manner although I have not seen this first hand. Also in this instance when I photographed the situation it was not that particular persons vehicle that was parked there.
What does not help is that because the bus stop and route is poorly thought out. Apart from possible visitors parking, there's nothing stopping a resident having a skip put down etc which would cause the same problem.
It's a frustrating situation because I've no doubt the residents and the drivers could have probably come up with a better solution themselves.
I certainly don't want to point the blame at an individual or the bus drivers. The problems caused seem fairly inevitable due to the poorly thought out route which I'm sure the drivers dislike as do the residents.”

“Alex, I agree that the Bus Stop may not be placed in the ideal position for the local residents, and maybe if as originally suggested, when the school is redesigned, the 'STOP' will be placed inside its boundaries, then this MAY solve some of the problems. However even if this was so, the buses would still need to use Lacey Drive to access the school, as there is no other suitable alternative for buses of this size, wether single or double deck.

I imagine that due to the numbers of students that go to that school, Bus Stops on the main Coulsdon Road are unsuitable due to the size of the pavements and the dangers of fast moving traffic. Given the behaviour of the students I would suggest that this would be a highly dangerous move to all concerned.

As stated earlier in this thread, the driver in question ADMITS to parking his car on a regular basis in such a position that although not illegally parked causes an obstruction so as to hinder buses. (This is not a one off situation due to a car of a relative)

If as you say some drivers just drive over the grass/flower bed when the car is not there, then I have sympathy with your problems, and I would be unable to defend those drivers, as I am fully aware that, with care it is possible to make that turn without mounting the kerb/grass. however that is said as long as the car is not parked in a position to hinder the turn.

Problems occur when trying to decide whose responsibility it is with the positioning of the stop, Croydon Council control the road (and pavements), but TfL control the bus stop and its positioning in conference with the local highways authority (Croydon Council), the phrase @one does not know what the other is doing' is probably quite apt, however all that said it is NOT the fault of the DRIVERS as to where the stop is placed, they have absolutly no control on that issue.

Maybe its time to stop blaming the drivers and look at higher authorities. The original story does no good for relations between the drivers and local residents, (just look at the very 1st comment on the story), MOST of the drivers do their very best I'm sure, don't just castigate them its a hard enough job as it is.

If the drivers and the residents worked together to solve the problem then maybe things would be better, and a start to this would just be to get the Car moved, if it can then be proved that there are still problems then maybe the council/TfL would look at alternatives, however the cheapest option for them at present would be to just paint yellow lines either side of the triangle, and enforce draconian parking regulations which as you said are not to anybodies advantage, least of all the mainly responsible local residents.”

“0 out of 10 in being correct with the car I am referring too.
The person you are talking about and whom I'm sure you have pictures of is not the car I am referring too. The car I am referring to is the one that has been moved now and not belonging to the person you are talking about.
THAT CAR was NOT parked their deliberately, hence why it was moved as soon as was able.
With all this debating about a particular person somewhat detracts from the actual issue. Which is that the buses drive over an area they shouldn't, it destroys the look of the area and isn't necessary. It's not acceptable. If a car is parked there, regardless of who it is and it's legally doing so, then the buses need to accomodate for that. Not just simply take the easiest route!
It's simple, drive on the road not over whatever is in the way!!”

“Alex:

10 out of 10 for effort, but now the true story has come out.

I know the name of the resident who has been orchestrating this by their obstructive parking, even though it is now the "in-laws" car which is road legal, taxed etc. :)

I have been a victim of their false calls to 999, they need to find a hobby or something.

You are not the only person in Old Coulsdon with a camera, maybe I need to take a few snaps of the car deliberately parked to cause obstruction? And then send the pics to TFL so they can get to the bottom of the TRUE PROBLEM. (and we know who that is, don't we?)”

“Just to get things clear though. The car that is being accused of being there deliberately is actually not parked there on purpose.
Having spoken to the owner of said vehicle it was actually parked there by an in law and they had no means to move it. It was not there on purpose by any means.
Also the referring to of the bus drivers as 'lazy' does not apply to all bus drivers, This does not happen daily but has ocurred regularly for the past couple of years. The island has been driven over when there aren't cars there so it is the laziness of those particular drivers in those instances.
To resolve the problem the council need too move the bus stop. It shouldn't have been placed there in the first place. But it wouldn't be such a problem if this kind of things didn't happen.
By the way, I am aware of the contents of the highway code. I am aware of the laws referring to junctions. I am also aware that this is not a conventional junction.
This does not detract away from the fact that it's not acceptable to destroy areas such as the one above when there are simpler solutions. Regardless of parking concerns.”

“Firstly we had parking restrictions put outside our house well AFTER we brought the property, so I did not choose to live where parking restrictions are..

I don't disagree that things need to be looked at from all sides, but in the mean time parking a car there to deliberately cause problems is just asking for trouble, so why do it.

You make a point that this piece of grass is not a roundabout but a junction, there are infact regulations that mean you should not park a veihcle near a road junction (check the highway code).

A further point which makes matters worse is the fact that you say in fact the person in question parks it in this position and it is NOT actually outside their house. So its shere bloody mindedness.

The Article instigated by yourself (local residents) starts with the line 'Lazy Bus Drivers' , well infact from your postings here it is clear this is not the case as in fact the Drivers are having to make more of an effort to avoid hitting a car parked deliberatly in an obstructive manor to cause problems.

Do you accept that what you are trying to do is get the bus stop moved, but by actions and or words what has happened is an abusive rant at the DRIVERS who actually have no control over the route. This just inflames an already sensitive situation. Drivers have to take enough abuse from members of the public and what is happening here is just giving them more, and then published in a major Local Paper.

Yes if there is a problem raise it, freedom of speach is allowed in this country, but taking it out on the DRIVERS is not helping them or your cause.”

“Bus Driver, I think you are missing the point. It's not a case of parking outside your own property. The point is why should the parking be restricted at all??
You choose to live in an area where the parking is restricted, I personally didn't buy a house on this particular road to then have it changed so that you can't park, not just outside the properties but even along the same road.
It's a residential area and the bus stop and route is not suitable. I totally sympathise with it being frustrating for the drivers. They have a job to do but the council need to accomodate for the situaion from the residence and the drivers likewise.
Also the car parked and preventing the bus turning was not actually outside the owners house. It was taxed, insured and road legal. It was not illegally parked either.

The easy option is to put parking restrictions in place. Why should the council take the easy route? More thought and planning needs to be put into resolving the situation. It is clearly causing stress for the drivers as well as frustrating local residence.”

“Just to add one further poin, there is no LEGAL right to park outside your own property, it is a public highway and if yellow lines (single or double) were put in place then it would solve the problem. Checking the Road Traffic Act should make this very clear to those in doubt. You do not own the piece of road outside your property, it is Public for all to use and that includes Buses.

Like many others in the Croydon area, I am unable to park OUTSIDE my property due to parking restrictions, and further mor many people don't have the luxury of having a Drive.

If the reason for wanting to park outside ones own property is being close to their front door so as less distance to walk, then in this case the person in question is contradicting themselves as the driveway is closer than the road.”

“I'm not suggesting that parking restrictions are to prevent the residents parking for the vast majority of time, just say for 1 hour when the School Buses are there (infact they are only there for about 10mins), this would also be in the afternoon, so the vast majority of residents who work etc would not be affected in the least.

One hour parking restrictions in Coulsdon are nothing new, look at the roads around Coulsdon South Station, the restriction is only in between 11am - 12 noon, so as to prevent commuters clogging up the road and preventing residents parking there, it has worked in this part of the area.

There is also the issue that the person in question HAS a drive and is just doing his upmost to be awkward. Yes if he has a problem then raise it, but not in the way he (and others) are. The Drivers of the buses are just trying to do their job and get the children (in the losest sense) away from the area. I am sure that the Drivers would prefer not to have to pick them up at all due to the problems that they cause, but they do as it is part of the duty they are doing.

I can not comment about the issue of a council worker living near by and the issue of where the bus stop is or should be. The fact is that at this present time the stop is where it is, and to be able to serve said stop drivers must turn round this piece of grass, if the car was not present then this would be a lot easier. There are ways of raising your disaproval of the position of a bus stop, but this is not one of them.”

“I find the idea of restricting parking in the are absolutely farcical. Parking is already limited by the double bus stop in place.
Not exactly ideal for residents if the parking is restricted further. The person referred to as causing an obstruction is entitled to park outside their own property. The road is not suitable for double decker buses. Also the island in question is not a roundabout, it's a junction and not suitable for turning buses.
The fact that a member of the council lives on corner of the road where the bus stop would be more suited makes the use of the term NIMBY (Not in my back yard) all the more relevant. Not the residents of Lacey Drive but that member of the council who no doubt had some say in where the bus stop was positioned........not near their property!
Also for those ranting about Mr Anonymous, the irony is that the car the bus was avoiding on the day I photographed it was not actualy his!!”