Permit parking plan for Fratton

People living in Fratton could soon be forking out hundreds of pounds to be able to park outside their homes.

Portsmouth City Council is asking residents for their views on a proposed resident parking zone stretching between New Road to the south, Powerscourt Road to the north, and Kingston Road and Station Road to the west and east respectively.

If approved, drivers will need to buy a parking permit starting at £30 for a first vehicle, £120 for a second, and £300 for third and subsequent vehicles.

A council spokesperson said: “As part of our comprehensive initiative to tackle parking challenges across Portsmouth, we want to hear from residents about parking and whether people who live in the area think a residents’ permit parking zone would be helpful.

“We ask for feedback on potential residents’ parking zones when people have told us they have parking problems in an area. In this case, we have had requests from people in this area and there is also agreement to introduce a new parking zone to the south.

“We consult with residents on this as part of a rolling programme. Rather than responding to a limited number of requests, we take the idea to the broader community and ask them for their thoughts before making any decision to proceed further.

“Residents can respond to the questionnaire online, and all residents in the proposed zone were sent a letter containing a link and QR code, as well as a paper questionnaire.

“We’re initially only after the views of residents in the proposed zone to see whether they want a scheme, so we do not publish the link more widely. If we have a positive response from the residents in the area, we will draw up a detailed proposal and consult more widely.”

Some 12 per cent of respondents to a consultation for the council’s parking strategy object to the use of resident parking zones, saying that it should be citywide.