Surely some rights to park nearby?

In April, 2010, new parking restrictions were introduced in Littlehampton. Some homes and businesses, including those in Pier Road and New Road, have no garages or driveways. They do have double yellow lines or one-hour waiting time outside their homes, though.

People living in these roads have to drive around looking for an unrestricted space whenever they come home. Sometimes, such a vacant space is near impossible to find in the summer.

Doesn’t it make sense, and wouldn’t it be fair, to issue these residents, workers, and business owners with parking permits?

Mr Miles Davy, of West Sussex County Council, has informed me that such permits cannot be issued until a parking review of Littlehampton has taken place. This, I was informed, would take place in October, 2010. However, when I asked again recently, it seems that such a review will take up to two years.

Surely this parking review should have taken place before the restrictions were introduced in 2010?

Have any of the councillors or whoever makes these decisions got any idea of the detrimental effect this has on us residents, or do they care? Now we read that pedestrianisation of Pier Road has once again reared its ugly head. This would mean even fewer car parking places plus, of course, a considerable drop in winter trade for the shops in Pier Road.

Also, one of the options put forward for Arun Parade in the flood defence scheme due to start next year, is cutting the parking down to one side of the road instead of both sides. Once again, fewer parking places in an area where there are nowhere near enough now.

Please, will someone in authority in either the county council or Arun District Council listen to the residents for a change, and issue us with parking permits, even if they are temporary until the review has taken place?

Surely, with all the rates and taxes we pay, we have some rights to park somewhere near our homes/places of work without having to move every hour or pay out to park in a local car park each time we return home or turn up for work.

Kay Steines, on behalf of Pier Road traders and residents

Pier Road

Littlehampton