A seasonal residents permit parking scheme could be introduced in streets around a town centre.
Felixstowe town councillors supported holding informal consultations with residents around the town centre about the possibility of creating permit zones in streets east and west of Hamilton Road.
The proposal was one of six contained within an East Suffolk Council Felixstowe Parking Review, which the town councillors discussed at a meeting on Wednesday.
The district council is seeking the views of the town council on the proposals before deciding on the next steps.
READ MORE: Felixstowe street could have parking bays for cars
The councillors were presented with a series of options, including whether to support or reject each of the proposals.
If the permit scheme goes ahead, St Andrews Road could also be included while councillors also called for more promotion of the existing car park season ticket, with town centre car parks returning to long stay.
They also wanted a wider consultation with other stakeholders, including town centre users, visitors, shops, employees, shoppers and residents of other neighbouring roads that might be affected by the introduction of the new parking regulations.
Felixstowe mayor David Rowe said people working in the town centre parked their cars in roads around Hamilton Road, including Ranelagh Road, Gainsborough Road and Penfold Road, which made it difficult for residents to park, especially if they did not have their own driveway.
He said making town centre car parks long stay might help to alleviate the problem because workers might be choosing to park in residential streets to avoid having to move their cars during a break at work if they parked in the short stay car park.
Mr Rowe said he would support residents parking if they wanted it.
He added: "It gives you more chance of getting a parking place near your house, but if we're not careful we displace parking from that road to another road nearby and that is why we have to be careful about how we employ them.
"We have to be careful about where we put them, but I think there is no harm in asking residents if they are interested in exploring this."
READ MORE: East Suffolk Council to discuss Felixstowe Ferry car park
As well as the town centre consultation, councillors also supported other proposals, including plans to amend parking regulations in Undercliff Road West to improve the street scene, prevent obstructions and open up parking opportunities.
These amendments include replacing a taxi rank outside Felixstowe Leisure Centre with a bus stop clearway, replacing a time-limited waiting bay outside Domino's with a loading bay and extending waiting restrictions beside the pier car park for another 100 metres.
However, a majority of the councillors rejected a proposal to regulate parking along Sea Road, although there was some interest in the potential for a seasonal period of time limited parking on the seafront, along with potentially some residents permit parking.
Some councillors supported an informal consultation with residents in roads off Sea Road and Manor Terrace about the possibility of permit parking.
Members also backed the protection of cycle lanes in High Street, High Road West and High Road East through waiting restrictions, which would prevent inappropriate parking.
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