Residents vote for parking ballot

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Opponents of plans for a controlled parking zone (CPZ) in a Cardiff suburb have voted for a referendum on it.

Cardiff Council wants to introduce the zones in six areas, including the Canton area of the city, but residents and businesses have objected.

The council made changes to the plan after the objections were raised.

More than 350 people who attended a public meeting on Monday evening unanimously voted for a referendum to be held on the 26 January.

The meeting was organised by the Canton Residents Action Committee (Crac) at the area's Wesley Methodist Church.

It approved calls for a ballot to pose the question 'Do you want a controlled parking zone in Canton?'. The polls on the day will open between 1600 and 2100 GMT.

The last time a referendum was held in the city was in 1995 when residents in St Mellons considered the dissolution of the local community council.

There was also a poll in 1992, when the people of Butetown were asked if they wanted the Cardiff Bay Barrage built.

A council spokesperson said: "There is provision to initiate a local poll in any community area."

Meetings

Several protest meetings on the issue in Canton have been held over recent months with hundreds turning out.

Ahead of the meeting, Jane O'Toole, chair of Crac, said: "Basically we don't want CPZ in Canton at all, we don't feel there is a need for it because we haven't got parking issues and we feel it is simply a way for the council to raise revenue.

"We are now calling for the referendum to let the people of Canton tell the council how they feel about the issue."

She said she expected the majority of people involved in voting at any referendum to be opposed to a CPZ in Canton.

"The council don't have to listen to us at all, but I think it will be political suicide if it goes ahead knowing the feeling of the residents," she added.

Plans

In December, plans for CPZ were altered by the city council after objections.

They would see new parking restrictions in several Cardiff districts, including Cardiff Bay, Canton, Cathays, Gabalfa, Riverside and Roath.

They would involve pay-and-display restrictions and paid-for parking permits for residents.

However, a public consultation exercise in the areas affected showed that two-thirds of residents were in favour despite some opposition.

The council responded by changing some of the proposals.

If the CPZ plans have the go-ahead, work is likely to start in summer 2007, and implementation in November 2008.

Work to convert the city centre area from voucher parking to pay-and-display meters will be completed by August.

The council's executive will consider the changes to the plans on 11 January.