A call to reform York’s residential parking system including changes to the way streets request it has prompted fears that restrictions and charges could be imposed without consultation.
The motion calling for changes to current requirements for a majority of at least half of residents to back ResPark to get it are set to be debated by councillors.
Cllr Conrad Whitcroft, Labour ward member for Fishergate, said the threshold could be incredibly difficult to reach in streets with holiday lets, houses of multiple occupation (HMOs) and empty homes.
But Liberal Democrat transport spokesperson Cllr Stephen Fenton said the proposals and the motion’s request to expand ResPark could see a one-size-fits-all approach imposed, amounting to a parking tax.
The ResPark system currently gives households, their visitors, property owners and local businesses priority parking in streets where residents have elected to have restrictions.
A standard permit costs £109.95 a year.
ResPark is introduced on streets following a ballot of households if a majority of them to vote in favour and there is a turnout of at least 50 per cent.
The motion set to be debated by councillors on Thursday, September 19 stated that while ResPark is crucial for managing parking in York, the current system is limited and complex.
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It added that many residents lack ResPark in their street as a result, even some living near schools and other busy areas for traffic which has caused parking problems.
The motion calls for the eligibility criteria for ResPark to be standardised and for the consultation and implementation process to be streamlined.
It also calls for turnout guidelines to be changed to reflect issues in local areas such as having more short-term lets or HMOs.
The pricing structure of ResPark would also be reviewed if the motion is approved.
Council Transport Executive Cllr Kate Ravilious would also be tasked with drawing up and presenting a detailed plan and timeline for expanding ResPark.
Labour’s Cllr Whitcroft said the current system which only consults two or three streets at a time merely pushes parking problems further away.
He added the reforms should fit with the council’s wider aims of encouraging residents and visitors to use public transport.
Cllr Whitcroft said: “It can be incredibly difficult to reach 50 per cent turnouts in some areas, it’s time we started taking a more efficient approach to this problem.
“Allowing people to park for free on residential streets such as Farrar Street for example, within a stone’s throw of Walmgate Bar, is bound to cause problems for residents living there.”
But Liberal Democrat Cllr Fenton said there was no mention of consulting residents on the expansion of ResPark in the motion.
Cllr Fenton, of Dringhouses and Woodthorpe ward, added a one-size-fits-all approach applied across York would not be the best approach.
The councillor said: “Such an expansion would presumably be imposed from the centre and cover the entire city, which is something that I cannot support.
“At a time when cost of living pressures remain high, the imposition of a city-wide parking tax would be a concern for many residents.”
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