People living in seafront streets plagued by parked cars have given their qualified support for a proposal for seasonal time limited parking and residents' parking.
Earlier this month, Felixstowe town councillors discussed proposals to improve the situation in the town's Sea Road area, including the potential for a seasonal period of time-limited parking on the seafront, along with potentially some residents' permit parking.
Although plans to regulate parking along Sea Road were rejected, some councillors supported an informal consultation with residents in roads off Sea Road and Manor Terrace about the possibility of permit parking.
Felixstowe mayor David Rowe said he would support residents' parking if they wanted it.
READ MORE: Possible consultation on Felixstowe town centre permit zones
A number of narrow residential streets link up with Sea Road, including Holland Road, Beach Road West and Russell Road, but these often become very congested, especially during the busy summer months when tourists park along the seafront.
Caroline Stafford, who lives in Beach Road West, said permit parking was a "good idea" but expressed concerns about the potential impact on the town's tourist trade.
She said she would often plan her day so she did not have to move her car, which could result in her losing the space and having to park a long distance from her home.
READ MORE: Felixstowe street could have parking bays for cars
Cost was another factor to consider with permit parking and she said there were three adults living in her house who would all need to pay for permits.
"It is a really difficult one because obviously the cost is going to be a factor but parking is really difficult.
"I mean, you can't move your cars at the weekend. There are difficulties during the summer and often during the winter as well."
READ MORE: Number of parking fines in East Suffolk double in a year
She suggested that charges should be reduced in car parks around the town to encourage tourists to visit, while vacant land in Sea Road that used to be occupied by the Cavendish Hotel could be turned into a car park.
Holland Road resident Lucy Kent said she supported permit parking and said she used to live in Lincoln, which had permit parking.
The employee with electricity network operator UK Power Networks said she often worked shifts and had to park a couple of streets from her home if she worked at night, which often meant walking through an area with no street lights.
She said she was "frustrated" by talk of Felixstowe being a tourist town because many residents did not work in the tourist trade, but often in Ipswich or at the port.
READ MORE: Felixstowe news
This often meant they needed cars because public transport links to the port or further afield were not great.
On occasion, she has had to park in the middle of her road with the hazard warning lights flashing to drop items off at her home, as she has not been able to find a parking place.
She added the situation had been bad since the 1990s, but had got a lot worse in recent years.
"I have previously asked about permit parking. I used to live in Lincoln and that has permit parking.
"It is an additional cost, but it is the daily hassle in summer of whether we have to make that decision of whether we leave the house, because if you leave the house you are not going to be able to park, especially on a sunny weekend," she said.
She also felt more car parking could be created in the town, such as by providing multistorey car parks.
The situation also had a negative effect on house prices, she added, as buyers generally wanted homes that had parking.
Kayley Lindle, who lives in Buregate Road, said she used to have a car, but gave up due to the "impossibility" of being able to park outside her house.
However, she was sceptical that permit parking would resolve the problem.
She added: "The problem with permit parking is that it doesn't guarantee you a parking spot, it just punishes the people who have not got a permit.
"It might help a bit, but given the volume of traffic that comes in. It is the spring and summer that causes the most problems."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel