RESIDENTS only parking schemes are being considered in Rossendale.

The schemes were explained to members of the overview and scrutiny committee by Ray Wallace, a member of the traffic management team at Pendle Council.

Mr Wallace outlined the procedures followed by his authority in assessing projects and implementing them after consultations with residents.

He outlined the advantages of residents-only parking and pointed out the potential conflict between competing users which might arise during the consultation process.

Mr Wallace said that a charge was made for the permits, issued annually, to allow residents to take advantage of the scheme and be guaranteed a parking spot outside their homes on busy streets.

But he pointed out that where there was no enforcement threat for misuse of the scheme, they were likely to fail.

The committee decided that as part of its consideration of decriminalised parking, the development and environmental services committee should formulate a policy to look at introducing residents only parking spaces so as long as there was sufficient support from the consultation exercises.

The committee will also be asked to look in to the cost of implementing such schemes.