Parking signs in Central Southsea
Parking signs in Central Southsea

Cllr George Fielding raises concerns and ideas from Southsea residents in Council budget following feedback from hundreds of local residents

On Tuesday Portsmouth Labour proposed changes to the council budget with the aim to rebuild the city’s communities, help bring high streets back from the brink and better integrate transport across neighbourhoods. The plan was backed with £2.5m of capital investment and restoring funding for community regeneration initiatives.

Speaking in the debate in support of the ambitious plans, Labour councillor for Central Southsea George Fielding said:

“Our approach is much better approach than the piecemeal rag bag of proposals that seem to typify the administration’s approach to this crucial challenge. 

And this piecemeal approach is illustrated starkly by the introduction of parking zones in Southsea. We held a public meeting on Saturday 2 February and now call upon the Cabinet to pause for thought and further consultation regarding the implementation of Residents parking zones MB and MC which have already been implemented and RPI MD which is in the pipeline”. 

On Saturday 2 February local campaigner Charlotte Gerada and Cllr Fielding brought together more than 180 people for a public meeting at the Wedgewood Rooms. 

Sharing feedback from the meeting to all councillors George said:

“The overwhelming majority of those at the meeting wanted resident parking zones but did not think that the MB and MC zones would work. There were many who would prefer a whole city approach to this to avoid the problems for people living just outside zones. 

There were particular criticisms from people living in surrounding areas notably Frensham Rd, Campbell and Inglis Rd who were angry that the surveys done prior to the design of the schemes had not taken into account the views of people in neighbouring street,s and that the council was not taking notice of their reports of the parking problems in the whole area resulting from the implementation of the zones. 

We heard lots of sensible suggestions from people which we are happy to share. Overwhelmingly people felt that the consultation and the survey sent to residents was inadequate – which brings me back to the huge importance of genuine public engagement in which people are involved in decision making and allowed to work in the public interest rather than always being treated as selfish individuals”. 

The Central Southsea Labour team will continue to raise concerns and ideas with the city council who are responsible for the introduction of the scheme.

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