Thoughtless drivers have been blamed for massive parking problems in a busy area of Carlisle as new measures are revealed to tackle the issue.

Residents in Denton Holme say they often struggle to park near their homes and businesses say their customers often can’t reach them because of the long-standing issues.

City councillor for Denton Holme, Hugh McDevitt, blamed drivers who park inconsiderately for the issues in the area.

Mr McDevitt was speaking ahead of a meeting when the county council local committee for Carlisle will consider a raft of measures aimed at easing traffic and parking problems in Denton Holme, including new loading and parking bays, double yellow lines and disc zones.

Mr McDevitt said: “We carry out actions like this because we have been forced into it by the thoughtlessness of some road users. That’s why we have these things in the first place.”

The county council’s highways and transport working group, which Mr McDevitt is a part of, has put forward a total of 18 measures.

If these are approved at the local committee meeting on Thursday, a formal consultation will begin.

One of the most high profile measures is introducing double yellow lines at the busy junction of Denton Street and Nelson Street near the Co-op and Cornerstone cafe.

These double lines, which have a no loading at any time restriction, would ensure the busy junction remains clear.

Lucy Armstrong, counter assistant at Paulo’s fish and chip shop opposite the junction, said the restrictions would make driving a lot better.

“It’s hard enough getting out of here,” she said.

There are also proposals to make a loading bay that would also act as a bus stop on Denton Street outside the Opera Bingo and Co-op.

Neil Graham, manager of Opera Bingo, on Denton Street, said he was broadly supportive of any solutions to improve parking and traffic problems in the area but did not want to comment directly on the plans before the consultation was launched.

He said: “It’s quite an emotive subject, parking in Denton Holme. I welcome anything that improves it.”

Mr McDevitt believes the majority of residents are very supportive of the 18 measures proposed by the Highways and Transport Working Group.

Measures include:

  • Dividing parking Zone D, which covers most of Denton Holme, into two smaller zones using the line of the old railway as the boundary. This means locals will not be able to use residents’ parking permits for the area closer to the city centre
  • Introducing a two-hour limited parking bay along Junction Street to prevent indiscriminate parking on pavements affecting HGVs and wheelchair and mobility scooter users
  • Introducing disc parking for visitors to Milbourne Street and East Norfolk Street
  • Painting double yellow lines on Lorne Street and at the park gates at Colville Terrace and Clifton Street
  • Introducing new disabled parking bays in Milbourne Street, Colville Street and Nelson Street
  • Introducing new loading bays in Lorne Street, Trafalgar Street and Denton Street.

Mr McDevitt was keen to stress that all disc zones will keep the two hour limit and not be reduced to one hour.

Many of the measures gathered no comments during the informal consultation.

Cycle Carlisle was critical of the new parking bay proposals on Junction Street on the grounds that the county council should be reallocating road space in favour of cycling and walking rather than encouraging car use.

However, it was recommended that their objections are overruled.

If the proposals are recommended on Thursday, the new measures could be implemented next spring.