Portsmouth Tory councillor to consider rolling out new resident parking zone - in ward he represents

Tory traffic boss Councillor Jim Fleming is set to consider a plan tomorrow to introduce a new resident parking zone in roads covering Cosham.

But Cllr Fleming is also an elected member for Cosham ward, and critics say it’s not right he’s considering giving his own residents better parking.

And the Tory-run council has come under fire for looking to roll out a new parking scheme in the north of the city – when residents in Southsea have fought hard to try and bring theirs back.

Former Tory traffic official Councillor Ken Ellcome scrapped the MB and MC Southsea parking zones, covering thousands of homes south of Fratton, because of concerns they were causing parking problems in neighbouring areas.

It was said people without permits were dumping their cars in roads without restrictions, which meant residents found it increasingly difficult to park at night after work.

Lib Dem councillor Lee Hunt, who has led a campaign to help bring back resident parking zones, in Southsea, believes the Tories have ‘thrown Southsea residents off a cliff’.

Cllr Hunt said: ‘I suppose Cllr Fleming can be allowed to consider this.

‘But I think it would be extremely unwise to sit on this and I think there should be someone else considering the proposal.

‘He could have stopped this at his pre-decision meeting with council officers.

‘It would look very, very bad, as an elected member for Cosham, for him to approve this.

‘I will go along to raise my concerns. If people in Cosham want this, then I will go along with it.

‘But I will also talk about the MB and MC zones, and how that’s what residents wanted there too.

‘The Tories have done this on purpose, and I have no idea why.

‘The residents in Southsea have been thrown off the cliff by the Tory administration.

‘They do not care about Southsea, not one bit.’

Cllr Fleming will also consider plans to splash out £54,000 on two mobile cameras to catch cars parking illegally outside schools – which blocks the view of children trying to cross the road and obstructs other road users.

Once caught, offenders would then be issued with a £70 fine.

Parking officers have come up with the plan after the results of a survey of parents, teachers and school governors showed 84 per cent believed pupils were at risk on roads outside city schools.

Cllr Fleming did not return calls from The News.