Thirty years ago, it was relatively easy for Newnham Croft residents to park near their own front doors. Since then, more families have acquired cars – in some cases more than one car – and more workers are commuting into the city and avoiding parking fees by leaving their cars on residential streets. Commuter parking is now a major problem in some Newnham streets.

The county council will consider residents’ parking schemes whenever residents make a proposal but, if a scheme is to be accepted, there must be evidence of majority support in the area concerned.

Many voices are calling loudly for residents’ parking in the Croft but we need to know whether they are in a majority. Joe Dale, Labour’s candidate in May’s county council elections, says, “It’s high time that our Lib Dem county councillor took the initiative and conducted an assessment of the current level of support for residents’ parking.”

It is crucial that our excellent local shops are not disadvantaged by any new parking restrictions. So, if residents’ parking is to be introduced, Labour will campaign for short stay parking bays by the shops and for a brief period of residents-only parking in the middle of the day. This would abolish commuter parking and would cause minimal inconvenience for shoppers, delivery vans or people visiting Newnham residents.