A controversial parking proposal, previously dismissed as a typing error, is in fact correct.
Last Thursday, at the Isle of Wight Council cabinet Cllr Ian Ward confirmed plans to charge residents for on-street parking overnight was incorrect, and blamed a typo in the original report for the mistake.
They said charges would only apply to off-street areas.
Back tracked again
However, the council has since back-tracked, and said the plans to charge on-street between 6pm and 8am could now go ahead as planned.
It’s not clear why senior council finance officers who were at the meeting did not ‘correct’ this at the time.
A consultation over next year’s budget plans is underway, after the proposals were put before council bosses.
Cllr Wayne Whittle spoke out against the proposed parking charges and said:
“Small, free, limited waiting spaces are essential to traders. They have already got the internet against them, and we really need to help them.”
Petition gathering pace
A petition just short of 3,700 signatures protesting the introduction of parking charges in Ryde will be presented to the council next week.
Senior councillors will also meet with local business representatives to discuss the proposed charges.
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which OnTheWight is taking part in. Some additions by OnTheWight. Ed
Update 15 Nov 18: Altered headline.
Image: mulmatsherm under CC BY 2.0
