Cycle lanes, marked bays and free permits: How you think parking funds should be used in Portsmouth

Following the news that Portsmouth City Council raked in a surplus of £5.3m last year from parking charges, fines and permits residents made suggestions on how the money could be used.

For many cycling was a priority. Megan Jennings, 41, from Southsea said: 'I would like safe cycle routes.

'This is a flat city, it would be great in tackling the city’s pollution and as a bonus be fabulous exercise for myself and my children. At the moment I’m too scared to take them.'

Charlotte Gerada from Southsea agreed. The 31-year-old said: 'As a cyclist, I find the cycling provision very patchy, confusing and lack-lustre (we live in a flat city - we have all the features to make a cycling city). In order for us to reduce pollution, tackle climate change and reduce cars on the roads, alternative modes of transport have to be better.

She added: 'This is a huge amount of money and confirms what many of us feel - that the council is making money out of people’s misery with the parking crisis. There should be greater transparency around what exactly the money is being spent on and more engagement with the public about what to do with the funds raised.'

Devonshire Avenue resident Jim Campbell, 57, said: I don’t feel it’s “ill gotten gains” at all, but it’s good that it has to be spent on transport and parking as that’s how it was earned.

'I’d suggest, for a very easy starter and a fraction of the money available, marked bays to help people be considerate parkers and therefore avoid wasting so many "half spaces" between cars and at the end of lines.'

Southsea resident Amanda Donovan added: 'They could reduce the first resident parking permit cost to free.

'They should put more traffic wardens to control parking on double yellow lines during the day for roads off Highland Road and Albert Road as it's often dangerous when pulling out. And the council should build some car parks instead of more houses and encourage the use of the park and ride especially on match days.'