Lindfield St Albans: church members launch petition over council parking changes

An almighty stoush has broken out between church parishioners and a local council over plans to block a driveway that would leave funeral and wedding vehicles unable to access the site.

An almighty parking stoush has broken out between church parishioners and a local council over plans to block a driveway at one of the region’s largest Anglican churches.

More than 200 people have signed a petition calling on Ku-ring-gai Council to rethink new traffic changes in the Lindfield centre after it was revealed the works would result in the closure of a main driveway access point to St Alban’s Anglican Church.

The church currently has two driveways that allows cars including wedding and funeral vehicles to safely manoeuvre through the site.

The traffic changes are planned outside St Alban’s Anglican Church.

Under the plan, one of the driveways would be closed to make way for a new set of traffic lights and footpath upgrades at the intersection of Tryon Rd and Lindfield Ave.

Church minister Shaun McGregor said the changes would impact churchgoers and result in funeral and wedding vehicles no longer be able to be parked on site.

“The driveways enable people to enter the church grounds to park or drop off relatives, and it enables a number of cars to be able to be parked at the same time,” he said.

A diagram of the new traffic changes planned in Lindfield.

“If the driveway is blocked then it really only allows one or two cars to park and it will involve considerable manoeuvring and reversing in and out.

“Given the limitations of the space it could cause safety issues.

“It will also make it difficult for elderly or disabled people. We have very limited parking, and other than what we have at the moment nothing is suitable for disabled people near the church.

“On Sunday services we have about 120 people on the site, and we also have community groups that use our hall and counselling services as well.

Church minister Shaun McGregor.

A concept plan of the new streetscape upgrades on Lindfield Ave.

“We feel the council hasn't taken the issue seriously enough and properly thought through the impacts.”

The council has offered the church an alternative parking area for wedding cars and funeral vehicles further away from the church Tryon Rd, however Mr McGregor said the church’s preference was to maintain the existing arrangements.

A council spokeswoman said churchgoers would have access to alternative carparking in the town centre including a new underground car park at Lindfield Village Green.

She said there were safety issues with maintaining the dual driveways.

“Transport for NSW has indicated it will not support vehicles entering or leaving the driveway via the Lindfield Ave intersection, due to the significant safety issues posed to the public,” she said.

“The main issue is vehicles entering and exiting the church entrance in Lindfield Ave, which poses a risk to pedestrians and traffic.

“To address the issues raised by the church, the public domain plan for Lindfield includes an accessible off-street parking zone for the exclusive use of ceremonial vehicles.

“The (council’s) traffic committee has agreed that the solution proposed by the public domain plan will still give churchgoers the access they need while preventing potential hazards to pedestrians and other drivers.”

The proposed set of traffic lights are included in a new Lindfield Public Domain plan that also includes new turning lanes in and out of Tryon Rd and wider footpaths outside the church.

A total of 265 people have signed a petition, which has called on the council’s traffic engineers to redesign the traffic lights and the kerb crossing.