Norfolk residents kill 'costly' parking plan

Questionnaires were delivered to residents in the area last October and the majority of respondents indicated they would like the scheme to go ahead.

But when a second questionnaire, which outlined plans to charge residents, was handed out, most decided not to back the plans.

And yesterday members of Yarmouth Borough Council's area committee heard the scheme had been shelved.

Instead the borough council revealed plans for a consultation in a second area, between the town centre and the seafront, in a bid to tackle parking problems in that vicinity.

Pamela Stubbs, of Palgrave Road, delivered a petition to the borough council on behalf of residents of the Northgate Street area.

“People were under the impression that they were to be given their own spaces,” she said.

“The aim of this petition was to prevent permit parking as the residents would have been charged L25 a year for it and gained nothing.”

A report to the committee states that people living in the Northgate Street area experience most problems parking at night after returning from work.

Paul Sellick, engineering assistant for Norfolk County Council, said: “From the questionnaires it was evident the majority of residents did not want residential parking in the Northgate Street area.

“People did not want the scheme. One of the reasons is that people did not want to pay, but it is probably not just as simple as that.”

He added: “We have had a request to look at parking in another area of the town and the consultation will probably begin early next year.

“There is a need for parking spaces in Yarmouth and we are looking at areas were it is perceived to be a problem and trying to come up with solutions.

“But we need to have input from residents to make sure they want the scheme s we are putting forward.”

The report also recommended that a parking scheme for Priory Gardens and Priory Plain be included in any future plans for neighbouring areas.