A FIVE-year wrangle over parking in a Winchester suburb may have been resolved by civic chiefs this week.

City councillors gave the go-ahead for restrictions in Abbotts Barton that they hope will stop commuters parking there.

On Monday (March 18), ward councillor, Dominic Hiscock, told the traffic and parking committee: “For about the last five years, we’ve been getting fairly constant requests to do something about the parking there.

“There’s no doubt that, as we have gone on, the demand for residents’ parking has grown.”

Following an informal consultation with residents, notices went up in January, advertising two-hour limited waiting in the area, from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, with an exemption for permit holders. It also suggested various double-yellow line restrictions.

The council later received 39 objections, to 15 letters of support. Ben Taylor, of Francis Gardens, told the committee he was unhappy with the double-yellow lines and said residents had not been consulted properly.

He said: “These yellow line restrictions are totally unnecessary and serve no purpose. There is no evidence of road traffic accidents or near-misses. I’ve never been informed of any costs by Winchester City Council during the consultation process, but I know there will be.

“I and my neighbours were asked to decide on it without this information. In my view, that’s basically deception.”

But traffic engineer, Neville Crisp, insisted that a breakdown of the costs and permits was included in a leaflet drop, although he admitted this was “quite a long time ago.”

The meeting heard how residents had sent a petition requesting reduced restrictions to 11am to 2pm, with a one-hour limited waiting provision.

Civic chiefs agreed with officers recommendations, meaning Abbotts Barton will now see one-hour limited waiting from 10am to 2pm, Monday to Friday, with an exemption for permit holders. Mr Crisp said the area would be the first in the city to implement such hours.

Cllr Rob Humby said: “In these situations, one clearly cannot please everyone, but I’d like to think that in this situation we have listened to residents.”