Residents 'champing at the bit' for new parking zones

SOME communities in Bristol are “champing at the bit” for new resident parking zones as several are planned.

- Alex SEABROOK

Bristol City Council is planning to create new zones where residents have to pay for a permit to park near their homes, deterring people who don't live there from parking instead. Resident parking zones were first rolled out over a decade ago. After eight years of Labour running the city, who were less keen on the idea, the Greens are now considering where to create new zones. Green councillors said they are contacted weekly by people asking for new zones.

Transport bosses will draw up a list of priorities before deciding which areas will see new restrictions later this autumn. An update was given to councillors on the transport policy committee. The cost of a permit varies in different parts of the city.

Green Councillor Rob Bryher said: "There are communities champing at the bit to get this parking management implemented. It's been a long time that they've been waiting, in an era when it was flat out refused by the previous administration. So we need to have some urgency."