Parking charges and restrictions set to return in Portsmouth
PARKING charges and restrictions will be reintroduced in Portsmouth as lockdown rules start to ease.
Regulations around parking, as well as having dogs on beaches, will start to be enforced again in the city from June 1.
It comes after parking enforcement was temporarily suspended in all residential parking zones, council car parks and more than 70 on-street parking locations to make essential travel easier.
Councillor Steve Pitt, deputy leader of Portsmouth City Council, explained why changes were being made. He said: 'Now there are more people out and about in Portsmouth, either travelling to work or enjoying leisure time, we need to start reintroducing some of our normal rules.
'I'd encourage anyone in Portsmouth to walk or cycle wherever possible rather than driving and please make sure whatever you are doing you follow government guidance, particularly the rules around social distancing.'
Transport cabinet member Cllr Lynne Stagg added: 'The travel restrictions that were introduced by the government in March resulted in many more cars than normal being parked in residential areas.
'We temporarily stopped enforcing restrictions to allow maximum flexibility for those who needed to move around, particularly key workers. Now that there is more normal movement and more people are going back to their place of work, it is important we recommence the operation of the residential parking zones across the city.'
Seasonal changes for dogs on beaches came into effect as usual on May 1, but the council chose not to enforce them because people could only use the seafront for daily exercise.
The enforcement means dogs will no longer be able to go on the beach at the Hot Walls or the area between the Royal Marines statue on Eastney Esplanade and Southsea Castle.
Portsmouth City Council has written to the permit holders in residents' parking zones explaining they will receive a discount on their next payment to reflect the time their zone has been out of action.