By Kelly Eve

Last updated at 12:19, Thursday, 25 September 2008

A public meeting will be held on Monday to debate proposals to charge for on-street parking in the Rickergate area of Carlisle.

Campaign: Co-owner Julie Clifford and members of Curves gym in Corporation Road, Carlisle, protest outside the Civic Centre earlier this month about proposals to introduce parking charges in the area

The meeting has been called in response to mounting pressure against the plans. Earlier this month a 560-name petition was presented to Carlisle City Council opposing the idea.

The Tithe Barn at West Walls will host the special meeting of the Castle neighbourhood forum from 6.30pm.

Richard Hayward, Cumbria County Council’s highways engineer for Carlisle, will be attending the meeting together with a highways representative from the city council.

Local ward councillors Olwyn Luckley, Jim Tootle and Kimberley Hunter are also expected to attend the meeting.

Notices promoting the event state that it will allow residents and tenants from the Rickergate areas to discuss the proposed stopping-up order for parts of Lowther Street and Corporation Road.

Julia Clifford, from women-only gym Curves, has been battling the proposals. She believes it will seriously damage local businesses in the area, not just her own.

She handed over a petition to the city council two weeks ago.

She said: “This meeting is absolutely necessary and I hope they stand up and listen to what is said.”

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

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.

First published at 11:45, Thursday, 25 September 2008
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk