SHEAR Brow’s controversial residents parking scheme will be reviewed by council bosses before Christmas.

The review of the permit-only limitation follows receipt of a 57-signature petition expressing concern about its extension in March.

MORE TOP STORIES:

The original scheme was introduced in November 2011 after a consultation of 960 households on streets around LImbrick, Shear Brow, Randal Street, Whalley Range, Earl Street and London Road, Blackburn.

It followed calls for a residents-only limitation because of commuters, students and shoppers parking on the narrow terraced streets.

The 258 replies were evenly divided on the idea.

The final scheme affected a smaller number of street which voted decisively in favour including the bottom of Limbrick, Bold Street, Randal Street and Lime Street.

Following a demand from residents nearer the town centre, an extension was implemented in March this year with permit-only parking at the town centre end of Bicknell Street, Charlotte Street, and Oswald Street.

It also introduced permit-only limited parking bays on Wellington Street St John’s, Strawberry Bank and St Andrew’s Street. In March, several residents objected to paying £30 a year for a household permit and £15 for one extra visitor’s permit, collecting a protest petition.

Now Blackburn with Darwen council boss Maureen Bateson has ordered a total review resurveying all of the original 960 households to devise a comprehensive new scheme.

Petition signatory Juber Umarji, 31, who lives in Oswald Street, said: “We object to paying £30 for a permit when we already pay council tax and road tax.

“We would accept the scheme if they dropped this charge. If they won’t drop the charge, we would rather be outside residents parking area.

“I welcome the review.”

Coun Bateson said: “We regularly review these schemes after implementation.

“This is what we are doing.

“We gave a petition objecting the scheme and representations for out side the area, including residents of Blackburn Street, asking to be included.

“We will include all these views in out comprehensive review. There will be no exception to the permit charge for householders on the street included in the final amended scheme.”