RESIDENTS in Highcliffe have raised further concerns about plans for a new traffic management system.

Highcliffe Residents Association said it had been approached by many residents concerned about BCP Council's plans to impose a zonal parking scheme on many of the coastal roads in the area.

The association is urging the council to review the proposal and carry out a consultation with people in Highcliffe.

Chairman Ian Hartnell said: “Highcliffe residents at the eastern end of our coastline have long been complaining about the inconsiderate and dangerous parking in their roads by summer visitors.

“In response to their concerns, our ward councillor Nigel Brooks had been working with BCP officers to develop a restricted parking scheme based on single yellow lines, effective only during Summer daylight hours, much as already exists in some other Highcliffe coastal roads.

“However, I understand that following the transfer of power in BCP to a Conservative majority, the new cabinet member for transport and sustainability set this well-defined scheme aside in favour of a zonal parking scheme.”

The scheme will see the creation of 230 chargeable parking bays right through the eastern and central coastal areas of Highcliffe. The scheme will also see no parking enforced in Avon Run road between Mudeford and Friars Cliff.

Mr Hartnell said: “Residents do not oppose the principle of parking restrictions, because the existing congestion on unrestricted roads in the summer period creates risks to pedestrians and cyclists, blocked driveways, parking on pavements and at dangerous corners, and limited access.

“That is why many residents would welcome parking restrictions based on time-limited single yellow lines in key roads.

“Whilst we have not been officially informed of the new proposal by BCP Council, we have seen maps showing the location of the proposed parking bays, which are alarming many residents who see the scheme as detrimental to the area and indeed dangerous."

Chairman of the Highcliffe and Walkford Parish Council Bob Hutchings said: “I have spoken to quite a few residents about it, and I have not heard anyone who is in favour of it so far.

“Having car parking spaces in residential streets will cause a lot of issues.

“Talks are already pretty well advanced at this stage, but the consultation has been pretty sparse.

“We haven’t necessarily been involved in the discussion, we have found out about it. Everyone in the village is pretty much against it at the moment."