North Tyneside’s revised parking policy is set to make it easier for residents to apply for disabled parking bays and permit parking on their street.
The local authority's cabinet approved proposals to allow those living with disabilities to supply a doctor’s note as evidence of requiring a disabled bay. Previously, only those living on higher end disability benefits could have been considered.
Residents who want permit parking on their streets may be granted a more streamlined process too. Amendments to the parking policy means 51% of households on a given street would need to support the introduction of permit parking before further council consideration can be given.
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Although, to be eligible for permit parking consideration, at least 85% of parking spaces needs to be occupied for at least three hours per day . Also, non-residents should use at least 30% of available parking before the council could consider permits.
Furthermore, in total, more than 50% of houses on the street would need to be without off-street parking as a final criteria.
The council report into the issue said: “The existing Parking Strategy, adopted in 2017, observes that many historic areas of North Tyneside were constructed before the era of widespread car ownership. It notes that it is difficult to balance the parking needs of residents, local businesses, and visitors against this backdrop; and sets out how the Authority seeks to take an approach to meeting these needs which is consistent, coherent and based on a set of agreed priorities for parking investment.”
Mayor of North Tyneside, Norma Redfearn said: “This is a problem we get month after month, year after year. It seems to me that if it was in our power to give every resident a fantastic parking facility, wouldn’t it be nice. But we can’t.
"Over the years we have seen families go from one car, to two, to three, sometimes four, and even five. So when you think about it at the end of the day we are doing our best as a council.”
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