A proposed shake-up of visitor parking permits in Norwich has been sent back to the drawing board - after councillors said there were too many unanswered questions about the changes.

Council officers want to change the system for on-street parking permits, which they say is being abused.

They had proposed consultation on replacing visitor permits, which cost £31, with a £25 resident's visitor pack, containing a two-hour limit waiting permit and 10 pay as you go day permit scratch cards.

Up to 40 more day-long scratch cards a year, they said, could be bought for £1 each.

But, at today's meeting of the Norwich Highways Agency Committee, made up of city and county councillors, officers were told to think again.

City councillor Mike Stonard said it was 'clear' action needed to be taken to prevent abuse of visitor permits, but the proposals officer had wanted to consult the public on were too narrow.

He said: 'A number of issues have been raised and there has been a couple of letters in the press which have moved me. There's a lot of people asking questions and, on the scope of the consultation, I wonder if it is right to be asking for views on a single option.'

He said there were people who live in the outer parts of the city who feel they are set to be penalised because of problems in the city centre and families which could be significantly disadvantaged by changes.

He made a proposal, which was unanimously agreed, that the officers should be asked to look in more detail at the evidence, so the public can be consulted on a broader range of options.

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