NEW residential parking permit schemes could be set up across Lancashire – if there is public demand for them. 

Lancashire County Council last year took control of all existing permit arrangements, some of which had previously been administered by district authorities.

But County Hall initially indicated that it would only be overseeing the current schemes – and not introducing new ones.

But cabinet member for highways, Keith Iddon, told a meeting of the full council that he was aware there was an appetite for permits in some streets not currently covered by them.   

“We have a team looking at it now to see what we can do – I’ve had various councillors who have brought this to my attention.

“We have a lot more vehicles on the road and residents do feel that they need to have adequate parking,” County Cllr Iddon said.

Last year, he told the authority’s internal scrutiny committee that he was open to the possibility of new schemes – but that a required threshold for 85 per cent of people to agree to the idea in a public consultation was often never reached.

County Cllr Iddon appealed to the full council meeting for members to carry out informal discussions in their own areas before the authority went to the expense of arranging official consultations.

“We have to ask residents across the wider area as well. Obviously, the people in the wider area object, because that’s where the cars are going to be moved to.

“If councillors can do the first consultations for us…that will save time, effort and money in the council doing a consultation that’s going nowhere.”

There are currently around 90 permit schemes in operation across the county, covering approximately 9,000 residents. Only Wyre does not have any permits issued in its area.

Last month, Lancashire County Council standardised the price and type of permits available across all of the schemes.