Council plays down Littlehampton parking zone worry

The worry follows in the wake of a letter, issued by county council consultants looking into a potential shake-up of the town’s on-street parking facilities – which could include the introduction of a residents’ parking scheme in built-up areas of Littlehampton.

A council spokesman said on Tuesday that the letters were to be used only as an indication of the future parking needs of the town and that nothing was yet set in stone.

However, residents have voiced their fears at the possibility of parking zones being brought into the town, with some claiming it could lead to the “destruction of Littlehampton”.

Nikki Jeffrey, of East Ham Road, argued that the letter, issued by consultants Mott MacDonald, to about 4,500 homes and businesses across the town, was misleading.

She added a residents’ parking scheme would do little to address the build-up of cars in her street.

Ms Jeffrey said: “It’s angled at ‘do you have problems parking in your street?’ Well, we do, but it’s only because of other residents having so many cars.

“The street is empty during the day. Having a residents’ permit will mean you are paying to have to park in the next street because there still won’t be space.”

In a response to the concerns, a spokesman for the county council said: “I would like to make it clear this is a fact-finding mission only. The first point, and perhaps most important, is that we are not proposing to introduce a controlled parking zone.

“This is an investigation into parking. Initially, we are seeking to conduct parking surveys, which will indicate levels of parking demand in various roads in the town centre.”

For more details, read today’s Littlehampton Gazette (Thursday, July 12).