Proposals to bring in controlled parking around St Albans Road in Watford have been junked after running into overwhelming opposition from people in the area.
 
Watford Council’s ruling Liberal Democrat cabinet voted last week to ditch the plans for a residents’ parking scheme following the results of the consultation held earlier this year.

Council officials said that it was clear from the results there was not widespread support for the measure.

Yet councillors agreed to investigate specific areas further to see if smaller scale restrictions could help ease problems. 

At the meeting on Wednesday, Councillor Steve Johnson, the portfolio holder for housing, said: "It was a very long consultation and quite painful and it had a clear message: they don’t want it."

Proposals for a controlled parking zone around St Albans Road were initially looked at in 2007 and then dismissed due to a lack of support from people living in the area.

Then last year Green councillors for Callowland said they had spoken to residents who wanted permit parking introduced and requested a survey from the cabinet.

An initial survey of residents in the area found some were having parking problems. So officials then decided to look at introducing a residents parking scheme for the area.

In a report to the cabinet, officers said the reaction had been so negative that they were recommending dropping the scheme.

However officials also recommended that the council investigate parking problem hotspots to see if extra restrictions should be introduced.

Hertfordshire County Council is also being asked to look into introducing more one way roads around St Albans Road area.

Iain Sharpe, portfolio holder for regeneration and development, said the consultation provoked a "lively heated debate" in the area. 

He said: "I think it clarified something: that there are a small number of roads near Watford Junction where perhaps permit parking may be a solution. But that problem is commuter parking."

The Oxhey representative also warned setting up a controlled parking zone in a small area would only move the problem elsewhere.