Residents in York streets with parking issues could asked whether they want permits, according to a council report outlining proposals to streamline the system.
Streets off Burton Stone Lane, Water End by the River Ouse, Lawrence Street and Fifth Avenue are among those which could be consulted on getting permits in the coming years.
A City of York Council report stated the roads were among those where residential parking (ResPark) restrictions are not already in place despite facing significant pressure from commuters, visitors and others.
It comes as part of proposals drawn up to streamline the process of households requesting restrictions which are due to go before a council meeting on Tuesday, October 21.
They include scrapping current rules requiring a majority of more than half of households to back permits before council officials can recommend progressing a request to a legal consultation.
Residents would also be consulted on alternative uses for pavements other than kerbside parking such as car clubs, cycle spaces, more room for pedestrians, sustainable drainage solutions and tree-planting.
Streets where residents have asked for permits would be added to waiting lists and official consultations would both happen automatically unless a ward councillor or officer objects.
The proposals come in response to a motion from Labour’s Cllr Conrad Whitcroft calling for reforms to the ResPark system which councillors backed in September last year.
The Fishergate councillor said then that requirements for more than half of households in a street to back having ResPark left some stuck in an endless loop of applications.
But the Liberal Democrat opposition’s transport spokesperson, Cllr Stephen Fenton, said he feared backing to also expand ResPark more broadly could see permits imposed against residents’ wishes.
The standard price for a household’s first ResPark permit is currently £115-a-year, with a second costing £264-a-year and a third £550-a-year.
Applications for ResPark restrictions to be implemented in an area currently start with a request or petition lodged with the council by residents or local councillors.
A decision from the council’s transport executive member is then required on whether to add the street to the ResPark waiting list, with the earliest requests dealt with first.
Informal consultations with residents begin once a request reaches the top of the waiting list, with questionnaires sent to households to gather feedback which helps to draw up detailed plans.
A majority of households need to be in favour of permits for officers to recommend moving to a formal consultation.
Exceptions can be made if support is high in one part of a street or area, with officers recommending progressing with ResPark restrictions there and leaving other parts out.
If the council’s transport executive member agrees to proceed the proposals are then put to a statutory consultation lasting at least 21 days.
The results are then brought back to the executive member who can decide whether to approve them, alter them or reject them.
It currently takes between two and four years for a request for ResPark to reach the top of the waiting list, depending on the number received and the council’s resources.
Once a request reaches the top of the waiting list it can then take almost another year before a final decision on whether to approve or reject it is taken.
Proposals set to go before the council’s Labour Transport Executive Member Cllr Kate Ravilious next week also include an aim to engage with more people about ResPark schemes digitally.
Officers would still have the option to use letters to ensure the process is accessible.
A wider review into existing ResPark zones, whether they should be expanded, changes to the number of payments and prices have not been looked at.
The council’s report stated there were areas not covered by ResPark where significant parking pressures from visitors and commuters had been identified.
It added those areas would likely be consulted on getting permits in the coming years.
The report stated: “For example, the Salisbury Road and Terrace and Kingsland Terrace area is likely to be under significant parking pressure when the York Central development starts to be occupied.
“The areas off Burton Stone Lane and Lawrence Street are both currently on the ResPark waiting list.”
