The mayor has made a firm decision to impose residents parking schemes and we consider that it is appropriate to make this work as well as possible for the local area. We have no doubt that there are a number of issues to do with parking which need to be addressed.
We have both lived in Southville for over 20 years, and in that time, seen the area fill up with cars. When Charlie Bolton was councillor the last time RPS was an issue locally, he found from the council that there has been growth in ownership of cars locally of around 2% per year. Growth in the number of vehicles seems certain to continue. The area is either at or close to its capacity.
The problems as we see them include commuters parking in the local area, the sheer volume of cars owned by residents, matchday parking, pavement parking on some streets, and ensuring our great local shopping streets continue to thrive.
Residents parking as currently proposed is far from a perfect solution but starts to address some of the issues - particularly commuter parking. The limits in permits issued per household may make some small difference to the numbers of vehicles in the area. We hope the scheme will address blocking of street ends and pavement parking. We think there is a case to be looked at for extending the hours of operation to the evening and to include Saturdays. We also think it appropriate to liaise with local traders associations over impact on local business.
We have concerns over the price of residents parking - we would prefer to see the cost being less for those on low incomes or for carers. We don't expect anyone to be pleased at the prospect of paying an extra tax. However, we do not want to allow the problems of parking in the area to fester, and consider that an 'implement and improve' approach is the way to go.
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