South Lincoln High Street parking permits scheme to be expanded

Plans to expand parking permits in the south area of Lincoln High Street have been approved.

Lincolnshire County Council’s Planning and Regulation Committee gave the go ahead to an extension of the Lincoln Residents’ Parking Scheme into Foster Street, Princess Street and Vernon Street on Monday.

It comes as the City of Lincoln Council and the county look to expand the scheme in the southern High Street area of the city, potentially displacing parking from Sincil Bank itself.

A questionnaire to residents found 71% in support of the move with some concerns raised around access for family and carers along with displacement of parking elsewhere. However, officers felt these could be mitigated.

Councillor Ian Fleetwood said: “Inevitably there are people who are displaced from other areas who are currently using this as a parking zone, and indeed once this becomes part of the permit zone, the ripple effect will go potentially somewhere else.

“Whilst a lot of residents might or might not be affected because there is the residents ability to park within the zone with permits, it might make it easier for local people to park in this area.”

The scheme will work Monday-Saturday, 8am-6pm with permit holders getting unlimited parking.

New dual use bays, however, will allow non-permit holders a two hour stay.

Existing one-hour limited waiting bays on Vernon and Foster streets will also remain as part of the plans.

City of Lincoln Council wishes to expand its permit parking offer to residents in the areas surrounding the city centre, so that they no longer compete for on street parking with commuters and shoppers.

The city council’s plans would see several new zones added to the uphill and high street areas.

However, a recent meeting about restrictions in the Bailgate to Newport area dropped the suggestion after businesses fought back against the move.

The changes would have increased residents parking, but decreased the amount available to shoppers.

Businesses felt shoppers would be put off coming to the area, but residents say they need more parking closer to home to improve access, particularly the elderly or disabled.