Driven mad by parking

But some residents living in the town's residential parking zones say they are still not happy with the system and claim the council is persecuting people for having cars.

It comes after the council decided to change its plans for one-house, one-parking permit rules to give two permits per household.

Leading the fight is Deacon Street resident Karl Cook, 38, who said a blanket system covering the entire town just didn't work and a reduction in the number of visitors parking permits was a huge frustration.

He said: "Residents' parking was introduced to make it easier for residents to park in their own streets, it was not intended to make life more difficult and persecute people for having cars.

"I myself have three cars, because my partner uses a car, I use a car as does my sister who lives with us and there is a whole range of problems like that that this blanket approach to the parking problem cannot solve."

Now he has prepared a questionnaire which he plans to send to every household in the parking zones to find out what they want. He then hopes to present his findings to the council and he hopes they will those views into consideration.

Mum-of-two, Kerri Lumsden, 32, of Deacon Street said: "It was fantastic to see that the council has decided to bring back the one-house, two cars scheme but losing the visitors permits is going to be difficult.

"Halving the number to 50 means I won't be able to give them to the visitors I get during the day.

"My mum visits once a week to look after the children, so all 50 are used up instantly and it's not like friends can park further away, as they have children and can't really walk from too far."

South Swindon MP, Anne Snelgrove is backing Mr Cook's campaign.

"Rather than just a blanket scheme, the council need to show a little more imagination," she said.

Deputy leader elect of the council, Coun Fionuala Foley (Con, Old Town and Lawn) said the council was running its own consultation and urged people to attend meetings and make their views known.

"This is a real niggle among residents of Swindon, but these areas are confined and we cannot just magic up new parking spaces.

"I will be happy to meet Mr Cook and discuss the results of his findings."

but I would urge people about the various aspects and concern about residents' parking, perhaps looking at removing now defunct yellow lines or short-term parking spaces in these areas."

She said: "I am concerned that the council is pushing ahead with a scheme that does not have the full backing of the people and it's times this that can lead to increased civil disobedience.

PEOPLE power may have forced a U-turn in the council's policy over parking this week.

But some residents living in the town's residential parking zones say they are still not happy with the system and claim the council is persecuting people for having cars.

It comes after the council decided to change its plans for one-house, one-parking permit rules to give two permits per household.

Leading the fight is Deacon Street resident Karl Cook, 38, who said a blanket system covering the entire town just didn't work and a reduction in the number of visitors parking permits was a huge frustration.

He said: "Residents' parking was introduced to make it easier for residents to park in their own streets, it was not intended to make life more difficult and persecute people for having cars.

"I myself have three cars, because my partner uses a car, I use a car as does my sister who lives with us and there is a whole range of problems like that that this blanket approach to the parking problem cannot solve."

Now he has prepared a questionnaire which he plans to send to every household in the parking zones to find out what they want. He then hopes to present his findings to the council and he hopes they will those views into consideration.

Mum-of-two, Kerri Lumsden, 32, of Deacon Street said: "It was fantastic to see that the council has decided to bring back the one-house, two cars scheme but losing the visitors permits is going to be difficult.

"Halving the number to 50 means I won't be able to give them to the visitors I get during the day.

"My mum visits once a week to look after the children, so all 50 are used up instantly and it's not like friends can park further away, as they have children and can't really walk from too far."

South Swindon MP, Anne Snelgrove is backing Mr Cook's campaign.

"Rather than just a blanket scheme, the council need to show a little more imagination," she said.

Deputy leader elect of the council, Coun Fionuala Foley (Con, Old Town and Lawn) said the council was running its own consultation and urged people to attend meetings and make their views known.

"This is a real niggle among residents of Swindon, but these areas are confined and we cannot just magic up new parking spaces.

"I will be happy to meet Mr Cook and discuss the results of his findings."

but I would urge people about the various aspects and concern about residents' parking, perhaps looking at removing now defunct yellow lines or short-term parking spaces in these areas."

She said: "I am concerned that the council is pushing ahead with a scheme that does not have the full backing of the people and it's times this that can lead to increased civil disobedience.