Guaranteed parking in Horncastle - but would you pay?

A suggestion residents in Horncastle might be prepared to pay to guarantee a parking place outside their homes is to be put to Lincolnshire County Council.
The  freshly painted bays in a re-surfaced West Street where it is claimed residents are struggling to park.The  freshly painted bays in a re-surfaced West Street where it is claimed residents are struggling to park.
The freshly painted bays in a re-surfaced West Street where it is claimed residents are struggling to park.

Alan Lockwood says parking is a problem for householders in several residential streets, particularly in older parts of the town.

Mr Lockwood lives in West Street, which has been re-surfaced as part of a major programme of road improvements.

Speaking at the September meeting of the town council, Mr Lockwood said parking bays in West Street were regularly taken by non-residents.

He accepted it was an issue in other locations including Foundry Street and Queen Street.

Mr Lockwood said: “Parking has been a problem for a long time now.

“They (county council) have marked out the parking bays but they are parked in by those who can grab them when they can.

“In West Street, it is school pupils and staff. It’s people who work in the town and people who come into town to shop.

“They park because it is free and we don’t have a free car park in town.

“We know we have no given right to park outside our homes, but I would ask if the town council would consider putting it to those responsible - LCC or whoever - that parts of the town have some sort of parking that would give priority to residents.”

Mr Lockwood went on to say he would have ‘no issues’ paying to park outside his home, but admitted he wasn’t sure whether other residents would support that.

Town Mayor Coun Brian Burbidge said the county council had looked into ‘residents only’ parking schemes before in Horncastle, but added there were potential drawbacks - including enforcing areas covered by permits.

He asked Horncastle’s county councillor Bill Aron to raise the matter with Highways officials to see what their response would be.