Residential parking schemes set to return to the streets of Lancashire

Lancashire residents who struggle to find somewhere to park on the streets close to their homes could benefit from plans to introduce new parking permit schemes in the county.
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Lancashire County Council stopped setting up residential parking zones in 2015 because of the cost of the consultation process required before they could be established - although any existing arrangements remained in operation.

However, the authority has now agreed to create “a small number” of the schemes each year - if they meet a series of strict criteria.

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A report to County Hall’s cabinet, which gave the green light to the decision, noted that requests are “regularly received” for permits to be introduced in neighbourhoods across Lancashire. The only way in which any have been established in recent years was if district councils carried out the necessary consultations in their own areas.

Could more signs like this soon be springing up across Lancashire?Could more signs like this soon be springing up across Lancashire?
Could more signs like this soon be springing up across Lancashire?

Cabinet member for highways and transport Keith Iddon said finances had now been made available because residential parking was a “big issue”.

“It does affect a lot of our residents and they obviously want to park their cars safely and at a close distance to their homes if possible,” he said.

When judging applications for a new scheme, the county council will consider the severity of the problem and an estimate of the cost of implementing the permit plan - along with any practical considerations and the availability of funds.

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Any proposals will also have to meet revised criteria - including one stipulating that there must be at least one “external factor” which limits the availability of on-street parking in an area, such as proximity to shops or a hospital or use by commuters.

Suggested schemes will usually have to serve at least 20 residential addresses to ensure timely “payback” of set-up costs and no more than half of the households in the area should have access to off-street parking - or the potential to create it - within the borders of their properties.

A majority of residents in the proposed zone should also have indicated their support for the scheme, via petition or representations to a local councillor.

Lancashire County Council standardised the charges for parking permits across the county in 2019.