Green councillors call for cheaper residents' parking

Green Party councillors say that new arrangements for visitors' permits will bring extra costs for some residents.

The residents’ parking system is currently administered by Lancaster City Council.

However, from April 1 it will be taken over by Lancashire County Council.

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As part of the new arrangements, the county council will be introducing visitors’ permits at £25 each.

This will soon replace the current system where people can buy cards with 30 individual uses – at 10p a time.

City councillor Jon Barry said: “For some people, the new visitors’ permits will be much easier and we welcome their introduction.

“However, for people who do not have many visitors, it would be much cheaper to carry on with the current system of multi-use cards. If people want to cater for two visiting cars at any one time, then the new system will cost them £50.”

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“We would like people to have the choice between the single visitors’ permits and the multi-use cards.”

County Coun Keith Iddon, cabinet member for highways and transport, said: “We are taking on responsibility for residents’ parking permits in Lancaster district from April, with a saving of around £15 on a residents’ permit as prices are standardised to £25.

“To standardise the cost of permits across the county, visitor permits will also be £25 and will be valid for a year, rather than the current limited number of uses.

“People currently need to go to the town hall each time they need a new set of visitor permits, but this will be replaced with a single annual online application saving residents time throughout the year.

“By moving to an online process, it should also reduce the number of trips people need to make to update their visitor cards, which also helps to reduce potential car pollution and traffic volumes.”