Tesco St Mellons Car Park – That isn’t a space!
Sunday 13th June
I’m writing this article to express my concern over pedestrian safety to customers visiting the St Mellons Tesco Store in Cardiff after multiple experiences where I have almost been run over.
It was only the other year Tesco spent a large amount of money on changing the store layout, the car park and entrance to the store. I couldn’t find the article online which had the original amount that they had spent on its redevelopment but I know it was quite a bit. Even though they have changed the car park to a more efficient layout with more room for disabled customers, people are taking advantage of an unmarked area by the Zebra Crossing outside the main entrance. People have been parking in a spot which makes it dangerous to pedestrians and has often led to customers walking on the road as a result of cars parking in this particular spot.
It would only take a bollard (which the car park has plenty of) to stop people from doing this and making it a lot safer for people. Especially disabled visitors as it’s in their parking area. I did think that it might have been a disabled person parking there…. there might not have been any free spaces and they needed to park close to the entrance? – However the cars don’t aren’t disabled badge holders and there seems to be plenty of disabled and parent & parking spaces available right next to the door, so why are people parking freely in this space… surely something needs to be done to avoid any serious accidents!
I have just emailed Tesco and await their response in regards to the situation and the bollard solution.
September 2009
Issue to be Resolved – 16th June 2010 Update
I have just received word that Tesco are looking to resolve the issue by installing additional bollards in the area to prevent cars from blocking the Zebra crossing outside of the Tesco store in St Mellons.
This will ensure a clear and safe passage for people to wheel their trolley’s to their cars without fear of being backed into or being forced on the road. The location of the Zebra crossing is essential to disabled people accessing the disabled spaces they’ve parked in. There is plenty of spaces available in the car park for people to use, mother and child spaces located near the entrance and ample car parking elsewhere.
I will update this page when the Bollards are successfully installed and a photo will be taken showing its safety. I want to thank the Customer Service Adviser and Sir Terry Leahy who handled my feedback rapidly and effectively as well as many other people including the store manager at the Tesco store in all their efforts to make the car park that extra bit safer for people.
It just goes to show, however anything small or insignificant to a large company in a small area they are always willing to act quickly as they know it makes a big difference to those living locally.
Original Article, September 2009 – http://www.rhys.eu/index.php/2009/09/tesco-st-mellons-%e2%80%93-people-don%e2%80%99t-know-how-to-park-in-spaces/
