A PLANNED residents' parking scheme in the centre of Lancaster will do more harm than good if it goes ahead, it is claimed.

The proposed scheme, in the Dallas Road area, has not been properly thought out, says local MP Ben Wallace.

And he has written to Lancaster City Council chief executive Mark Cullinan to voice his concerns.

Mr Wallace says local people have written to him and called him over the scheme - currently in the middle of a consultation period. He is determined to fight the local cause.

He claims the council intends to provide just 350 car parking spaces for 600 houses in the area and says: "The number of letters and e-mails I have received from residents demonstrate there is a real concern.

"I want to ensure the consultation is carried out properly and all decisions made are in the best interests of people living in the area."

But a spokesman for Lancaster City Council insists that more local people are for a parking scheme than are against it.

The spokesman says: "Over the years, the city council has received many requests from local people for a residents' parking scheme in the Regent Street and Dallas Road area.

"As a consequence, the council decided to carry out a consultation.

"The residents have received a plan showing where vehicles may park if a scheme is introduced and the reduction in parking area is one factor that they will have to take into account.

"The Council recently carried out a parking survey at 5am and found that the proposed scheme would provide slightly more parking spaces than the number of vehicles that were parked at the time the survey was carried out."