DESPITE ten objection letters and Parish Council opposition, plans will go ahead to introduce more parking restrictions in Whiteley.

The Traffic and Parking Committee meeting on Wednesday (March 5) heard Winchester City Council’s plans to introduce double yellow lines on one side of Parkway between the two roundabouts on the eastern link.

Cars currently park on both sides of the road, which is also a popular bus route, restricting traffic flow to one lane and causing congestion.

Malcolm Butler, Vice Chairman of highways and transport committee for Whiteley Parish Council, opposed the plans.

He requested that the council looked at widening the road to accommodate traffic and parking.

He said: “Our concerns are that the cars displaced by this Traffic Regulation Order, around 50 at our count, will actually end up parking on residential roads and cause residents to complain to the Parish Council about safety in parking.”

Cllr Robert Humby, Deputy Leader for economic development at Winchester City Council, asked whether the risk caused by parked cars on this stretch of Parkway was greater than the risk car displacement would cause to residents of nearby roads.

Corrine Philips, traffic engineer, said widening the road would be costly, and problematic due to ownership of land, and the risk of the current situation was greater, due to drivers needing to reverse for long stretches in order to let oncoming traffic pass.

The committee decided the traffic regulation order would go ahead, but agreed to monitor the situation of residential roads.