By Julian Whittle

Last updated at 14:17, Tuesday, 21 October 2008

Council chiefs are set to drop proposed new parking charges for the Rickergate area of Carlisle.

Flashback: Members of the Curves Gym and co-owner Julie Clifford protested at the plan

The plan had been to make spaces between Dixon Street and Corporation Road, and behind Corporation Road, into pay-and-display car parks.

Currently, motorists can park there free for one hour.

Now Cumbria County Council’s Carlisle local committee is being advised not to agree the “stopping-up order” needed to allow Carlisle City Council to bring in charges.

However, it still intends to make spaces at the north end of Lowther Street, near Eden Bridge House, into a pay-and-display car park.

The U-turn was welcomed by sisters Julia and Jo Clifford, who run Curves women-only gym in Corporation Road.

They argued that the charges would affect residents and businesses, and submitted a 500-signature petition against the proposal.

Julia Clifford said: “This is fantastic news.

“We wanted to prove to people that if you stand together and do things properly, you can make a difference.”

The change of heart is revealed in a letter from the county council’s area engineer, Richard Hayward, to Carlisle MP Eric Martlew.

Mr Martlew had taken up the case on behalf of Rickergate residents and, like the Cliffords, is pleased with the likely outcome.

“People can continue to park behind their houses and customers can continue to park near the businesses,” he said.

“There’s no doubt that the city council are just raising revenue and this is what this [proposal] was all about.”

The Carlisle local committee meets on November 11.

First published at 11:47, Tuesday, 21 October 2008
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk