Rye has to make its mind up over parking

Parking in Rye High Street. SUS-140225-121129001

There have been fresh calls for Rother Council to take control of policing on-street parking in Rye.

The calls follow parking chaos in the town which has seen emergency vehicles blocked by illegally parked cars.

But Rye Rother councillor Lord Ampthill has warned this could be an end to free parking on the streets of the town.

Rother remains one of the only districts in the country not to have decriminalised parking.

Rye is without a traffic warden and has to rely on police for enforcement.

Decriminalistation would see the Council employing its own parking wardens but motorists would most likely have to pay to park on-street as they do in Hastings, where residents also have to buy yearly permits to park outside their own homes.

Cllr Lord Ampthill said: “I am not convinced Rye has made up its mind about decriminalisation.

“I am not sure everyone wants to see charging in Rye High Street.”

Turn to page 3 for more on the parking debate.