Proposals to introduce parking permits in York’s Huntington Road area have been backed after residents claimed a new mother had moved out because of how bad problems were.
A formal consultation is set for residential parking (ResPark) permit plans for part of Huntington Road, Ashville Street, Haleys Terrace, Kitchener Street, Oakville Court, Oakville Street and Yearsley Terrace.
Residents who spoke at a City of York Council meeting said they were finding it harder to park due to the area’s use by commuters, Joseph Rowntree Theatre visitors and students.
But one resident William Owen said he did not want restrictions introduced while the meeting heard only around a quarter of homes responded to a previous consultation about the plans.
The decision at the council transport meeting on Monday means affected households will now be formally consulted on the restrictions.
The meeting heard it followed two petitions from those living in the area lodged in 2019 and 2020 calling for ResPark restrictions.
But it also heard that while the majority of those who took part in a subsequent consultation backed the plans, only 63 out of 267 households responded.
Streets typically require majority support based on turn outs of at least half of affected households for ResPark permits to be introduced.
But residents said the high number of student houses and short-term holiday lets had kept turnouts below that level.
Emily Green, a paramedic who lives in the area, said those using streets in the area for parking included students, with some leaving their cars there for months on end.
She said: “I have a constant anxiety about parking, I don’t like to go out in my car because I know when I come back someone will be parked in the space.”
Lindsey Walter, of Haleys Terrace, said parking problems were becoming so bad that it was making it impossible for some people to live there.
She said: “When one of my neighbours had a baby she tried to carry on but she eventually had to move out because she couldn’t find anywhere to park.”
But Dr Owen, who lives in Oakville Street, said there was always somewhere to park there.
He said: “I live at the top of the street and I park there because I can’t walk very far, I wouldn’t support anything that changes that.”
Council transport executive member Cllr Ravilious said it was clear there were growing problems in the area despite the low turnout during the previous consultation.
She added officials would work with local Heworth councillors to try and improve the turnout in the forthcoming consultation.