Parking permits may cost £20 (From Barry And District News)

Parking permits may cost £20

BUTTRILLS residents and councillors are up in arms over proposals by the Vale of Glamorgan Council to introduce a charge for parking permits.

The local authority is considering charging residents in the Buttrills £20 per year for parking permits, which are currently issued free of charge. Others areas which could be affected are Castleland and Illtyd.

Councillor Margaret Alexan-der said: "Many residents already find it very difficult to park in the spaces which are supposed to be reserved for them. To be asked to pay for the privilege of not being able to park is a bit much.

"And what about the people who can park in the permit areas for two hours? Are they going to be charged as well?"

Christine Jones, of Woodlands Road, said: "We can't park in the areas reserved for us half the time anyway. And why should some streets have to pay and not others? We already pay road tax and council tax. This is just another way of getting money out of us."

Councillor Stuart Egan said: "Why should residents be penalised because Barry town centre is lacking in parking facilities? We were promised open government by this administration. That's a sham because there's been no consultation at all with residents on this."

The streets affected in the Buttrills are Aberystwyth Crescent, Beryl Street, Buttrills Road, Cambrian Court, Cora Street, Court Road, Evans Street, Evelyn Street, Holton Road, Kendrick Street, Lombard Street, Maes-y-Cwm Street, Morel Street, Newlands Street, Regent Street, Richard Street, Spencer Street, Tynewydd Road, Upper Pike Street, Woodlands Road and Wyndham Street.

A spokesman for the Vale of Glamorgan Council said a report had been prepared but it was 'early days and it is far from certain that a charge will be levied'.

"The highways department is considering charging for parking permits as a way of meeting the increasing administrative costs of issuing permits."

Many other local authorities used this system, he added.