Silsoe, Bedfordshire, UK
info@silsoeparishcouncil.org

Emergency Vehicle Access in Silsoe

cars parked in row on the street
The Parish Council have been getting numerous complaints regarding parked cars making roads very narrow and dangerous to pedestrians and drivers, particularly Mander Farm Road, Church Road, Park Avenue and Newbury Lane.

Fire Safety Officer advice:

Please think about your parking and keep a clear path for emergency vehicles.

Residential streets and roads near schools are often difficult to pass through safely, especially when cars are dropping off or picking up children. You may not be parking illegally, but is there a smarter option? Would a space a few metres away be a better place to stop?

It’s not just our fire engines that could be delayed – our on-call firefighters need to arrive at their station within five minutes. Just a short delay could mean the difference between a fire engine being on its way to your incident or being delayed. Don’t let your car be the one that slows us in an emergency.

Please follow this advice on parking with consideration:

1.Pull in your wing mirrors (don’t forget to flip them out before driving off)
2. Don’t park too close to corners, fire engines are larger than cars and need more room to turn
3. If you’re parking opposite someone, remember that a fire engine needs 3m, or two car widths, to pass safely
4. Make sure your wheels are straight and not sticking out
5. Park as close to the kerb as you can
6. Always follow the Highway Code and obey the road markings such as yellow lines and box junctions
7. In narrow streets, only park on one side of the road where possible
8. Make sure you leave enough space for pedestrians on the pavement
9. Don’t block driveways
Simple steps to parking safely