Residents to be consulted about on-street parking problems

Ways of solving the problem of people leaving their cars parked all day in residental streets is to be studied in South Norfolk. Picture: Denise Bradley (Image: Archant)

South Norfolk District Council offered to help town and parish councils fund studies on the extent of problems with on-street parking and potential solutions.

Amongst the suggested options are residents parking permits, time limited parking bays, yellow lines and parking meters.

After a September 28 deadline to express interest, Diss Town Council and parish councils in Trowse and Cringleford have responded to the offer of help to fund studies into what long-term measures may solve problems of people struggling to park near their homes

However Wymondham Town Council has opted out citing the potential cost of any eventual scheme.

Residents in some areas of South Norfolk are to be consulted on problems with on-street parking. Picture: Colin Finch (Image: Archant)

Councils were asked to contribute about 20% towards the cost of surveys and consultations, with the district offering to pay the vast majority of the cost where schemes could be justified.

The district council will now work with independent parking consultancy Alpha Parking to devise a residents' survey on the extent of parking issues and whether there is public support for solutions.

In a letter to councils, David Disney, district council operational economic development manager, stated: 'This is an offer to parishes that wish to sort out problem parking issues where they exist and, if justified following a legal process, to introduce the most appropriate solution. 'Introducing any solution is not a cheap, quick or simple process. A fair amount of surveying, legal work and consultation is required if any scheme is to be made lawfully, this applies to any of the solutions.'

Diss Town Mayor Trevor Wenman said: 'We have agreed in principle to be involved simply from the point of view of finding out what might work but we are not necessarily talking about residents parking permits. A full blown scheme of the type you have in Norwich is expensive to maintain because residents have to pay for their permits which then pays for the enforcement.

'There are other options short of that, like restricted parking at certain times of the day that would discourage people from parking all day.'

Dozens of parishioners recently attended a meeting in Cringleford to highlight the ongoing issue with parking on Gurney Lane and Intwood Road by people who work at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, UEA or business parks.

Cringleford Parish Council said a parking permit scheme would not be suitable for the area, but they were to look at other options, such as a controlled parking scheme.

Diss Town Mayor Trevor Wenham said the town had agreed in principle to be involved to find out what might solve on-street parking problems. Picture: Sonya Duncan (Image: Archant)