HIGHWAYS chiefs have today promised to take action to solve parking problems in the streets off Felixstowe seafront.Frustrated and angry residents dare not leave their cars outside their homes for fear of getting a parking ticket after police were forced to act following complaints about vehicles being left on yellow lines.

HIGHWAYS chiefs have today promised to take action to solve parking problems in the streets off Felixstowe seafront.

Frustrated and angry residents dare not leave their cars outside their homes for fear of getting a parking ticket after police were forced to act following complaints about vehicles being left on yellow lines.

Previously the authorities had turned a blind eye and residents had parked on the lines, which ban parking on one side of the streets between Langer Road and Sea Road from 10am to 6pm from May 1 to September 30, without prosecution.

County council highways engineer Angela Rapley said the parking restrictions had been in place 30 years and needed reviewing.

She said a review would now be done and proposals drawn up for changes - there would be consultation with the emergency services and the ideas would then be presented to the joint town-county Felixstowe Highways Advisory Committee and residents.

However, because of the width of the roads it might be necessary to restrict parking to one side in some streets - fire engines need clearance of 3.4 metres and some of the roads are only six metres wide.

She added that parking on both sides would restrict the roads to one-way.

County councillor Graham Newman said: “I have explained to the residents that whatever happens it will not be possible to guarantee a parking space for all residents, but the residents believe anything would be better than getting a parking ticket.

“They have also asked whether there could be residents' permits to allow them to use the leisure centre car park overnight and I will be contacting Suffolk Coastal about this.”

Mr Newman said emergency vehicles had had no problem gaining access to the area.

Householders in Russell Road, Granville Road, Cavendish Road, Holland Road, and Manning Road have formed an action group.

There are three possible solutions they want examined:

To scrap the restrictions altogether and allow parking both sides of the street at all times.

Bring in a residents' parking scheme.

Install a one-way scheme with traffic to flow alternately up and down the sidestreets.

They do accept there is not enough parking in the area, with many houses converted to flats and bedsits and families having more than one car, plus the vehicles of visitors using the seafront.

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