HUNDREDS of residents furious they could lose car parking spaces outside their homes have signed a petition demanding a U-turn over more restrictions being introduced in Stowmarket.

John Howard

HUNDREDS of residents furious they could lose car parking spaces outside their homes have signed a petition demanding a U-turn over more restrictions being introduced in Stowmarket.

Almost 400 people have signed the petition which calls on Suffolk County Council to withdraw proposals which families fear will lead to chaos.

The authority has been consulting about plans to introduce the double yellow lines in Crown Street, Cardinalls Road and Regent Street, which campaigners say will lead to the loss of more than 100 spaces.

They have also proposed restricted parking from 8am to 6pm on the west side of Newton Road, with a single yellow line on this street.

Campaigner Rosie Carter, a Cardinalls Road resident who recently handed the petition into the authority at Ipswich, said: “People are not happy at all.

“This will only create rat runs with cars driving through at 60mph. At the moment the parked cars slow people down.

“People are very angry and very annoyed about this and are putting a lot of effort into fighting it.

“I have handed the petition into the authority and there have also been well in excess of 40 letters from local people. Feelings are running high.”

Suffolk County Council, the highways authority, argues that while there would be some loss in parking for residents, the authority did not believe it would be as much as residents fear.

And officers believe the measures were necessary because the fire service and refuse collectors can find it hard to negotiate the narrow, traffic-clogged streets.

The deadline for consulting residents has now passed and the council's rights of way committee is expected to meet during March to debate the plans.

For further details, or to help campaigners, call Mike and Rosie Carter on 01449 677497 or e-mail at rosiej.carter@virgin.net

What do you think of the plans? Write to Your Letters, The Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or send us an e-mail to eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk