By Julian Whittle

Published at 11:49, Wednesday, 10 September 2008

PRESSURE is mounting on Cumbria County Council to rethink proposals to charge for on-street parking in the Rickergate area of Carlisle.

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A petition against the plan, signed by 560 people, was presented to Carlisle City Council last night.

Councillor Ray Bloxham, the portfolio holder for infrastructure, said he hoped there was “scope to compromise”.

He added: “The county council is the highways authority. On-street parking is their responsibility.

“The city council has no remit, except as consultees.

“But we do have concerns following representations from residents and businesses and we have to take note.”

County councillors recently agreed to apply for a stopping-up order as the first step towards introducing pay-and-display car parking behind Corporation Road, between Dixon Street and Corporation Road, and at the north end of Lowther Street. At present motorists can park free for an hour by displaying a parking disc.

Under the proposals, free parking would be limited to spaces in Corporation Road and Rickergate itself.

Julia Clifford, of Curves gym in Corporation Road, presented the petition at last night’s meeting.

She told councillors: “These proposals are outrageous and will seriously damage our businesses, perhaps close some of them, and damage the economy of the city centre.”

She said removing free parking would encourage shoppers to use supermarkets rather than the market hall. And she said that she and her sister Joanna would not have opened their women-only gym there had they known free parking might go.

She added: “If this proposal goes through, we will feel completely betrayed and our future will be in jeopardy.

“I beg you to admit that somebody got it wrong and forget these proposals.”

The petitioners were supported by Jim Tootle, a Liberal Democrat councillor who represents the area.

He said: “The wider implications have not been thought through at all. We should not be seen to be destroying communities. We should be helping to build them.”

Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk