>> Charging for what was previously free isn't 'preferential'.
I live on a street near the town centre and so many people used to park there that I would often have to park on another street, especially when there was a footie match.
So when they introduced residents parking at £7 a year I thought that was the bargain of the year.
I live near the college where students used to park half on the pavement both sides of the road, on bends, at junctions - everywhere, five days a week.
What do we now have? No daytime week day parking for anyone (residents included) outside 70 or so houses so it looks like a ghost town. Current resident parking charges are way above £7:
Residents permit - £35.00 per annum for the first permit
Additional residents permits - £50.00 per annum per permit (no limit)
Annual visitor permit - £13.00 per annum (limited to 1 per property). This is a flexible permit for any visitor to your property, therefore it does not need to registered to a particular vehicle.
Visitor day permit - £3.00 per day (scratch cards - minimum purchase of 5 (£15.00), with a maximum of 25 per annum per property)
Business permit - £70.00 per annum (limited to 1 per business within the Zone)
Registered charities are eligible to apply for 2 free permits per annum
Disabled residents may be eligible for a free residents permit, subject to a mobility assessment by Derbyshire social services. Telephone 01629 537876 for an assessment
The only place my neighbours and I can park free is a stretch of Canal Wharf where vehicles have been vandalised - jumped on, lights and mirrors smashed, doors kicked.
We have to share our paid-for residents parking with public parking (up to 2 hours) so if we go out during the day, we lose our space to students who come and go depending on the timing of their courses - there is no dedicated 'residents parking only' even though we pay £35 for this 'preferential' treatment.
I believe however, that thanks to the Cameron government <spit> residents are to be given the right of appeal against parking schemes that don't best serve them. As soon as that becomes law I'll be asking my 70 or so neighbours how they feel about the present scheme.