I’ll help residents to get rid of yellow lines on their roads, promises Pickles

RESIDENTS could get the right to challenge yellow lines on their roads, under proposals to be announced by Eric Pickles today.

He is suggesting that if at least 50 members of the public or local businesses, or up to 10 per cent of people in an area, are against yellow lines in their neighbourhood, then they should be able to petition for a formal review.

The Local Government Secretary, who is known to be against ‘over-zealous’ parking policies, said he hoped local authorities would comply or he would force them to do so by law.

Mr Pickles said the right to review would also apply to ‘unfair parking charges’ or any other aspect of parking policy, which is having a negative impact on an area.

He has blamed expensive and restrictive parking policies for the decline of small shops in town centres. ‘Too often, yellow lines are imposed on neighbourhoods or the high street, without fair consideration of the livelihood of residents, local shops or the availability of parking spaces,’ Mr Pickles said.

He added: ‘Now local people will have a direct and democratic right to trigger a formal council-led review of road restrictions.

‘Incessant yellow lines, CCTV spy cars and trigger-happy parking wardens make everyday life unbearable for drivers looking for somewhere to park when shopping locally.’

The right to a petition will apply from January next year if a review of parking guidelines, which will be taking evidence until October, backs the idea.

Last year Mr Pickles tried to legislate to allow people to park on double yellow lines for up to 15 minutes, saying they might want to pop in to the shops for a loaf of bread and should not be penalised.

But he was forced to drop the idea in June after a consultation concluded it would be confusing. Road safety groups said it could be dangerous.

He has managed to ban CCTV ‘spy cars’ from enforcing on-street parking rules.

The Local Government Association is against Mr Pickles’ latest proposals. A spokesman said: ‘Councils already listen carefully to their residents, road users and businesses, consulting widely on parking schemes.

‘Central government meddling will simply make achieving balanced and sensible outcomes much harder.

‘The Government recently did a U-turn and dropped its plans to allow “grace periods” on double yellow lines. We sincerely hope this announcement follows the same route.’