TRANSPORT bosses in York have been urged to widen a crackdown on parking near one of the city’s universities.

Residents in part of Badger Hill say restrictions introduced on some streets in the area earlier this year, following complaints about students, staff and visitors to the University of York’s campus taking up spaces, have only moved the problem elsewhere.

Backed by Hull Road councillors Fiona Fitzpatrick and Neil Barnes, they presented a 129-name petition to City of York Council at a full meeting of the authority this week, saying the issue needs to be looked at again.

The petition was set up by the Badger Hill Residents Community Group after the council last year decided to test restrictions on Low Mill Close and parts of Field Lane and Deramore Drive. It is asking for residents-only parking to be extended to the rest of Deramore Drive, part of Yarburgh Way, Badger Wood Walk, Pinewood Hill, Hesketh Bank and Foxthorn Paddock.

The group’s chairman, Harry Telfer, said: “This petition comes from residents of six Badger Hill streets excluded from the original experimental parking control scheme who have felt the brunt of displacement in parking from the streets which were covered in the initial scheme.

“The approach which has been employed has moved parking from streets where measures have been implemented to other roads inside the Badger Hill estate where no restrictions currently exist. It has also slowed down the process of solving the original problem.”

Coun Fitzpatrick said: “It’s staggering how much the overflow car-parking from the university campus has impacted on streets in Badger Hill, so we were delighted when restrictions were implemented at the start of the year.

“However, residents living on streets a little further into the Badger Hill area are now reporting a rapid rise in the number of cars parking on their streets instead, causing major traffic issues. This also causes a number of safety issues, particularly when children are involved at the start and end of the school day.”

The petition will now be considered by the council’s city strategy directorate.

A University of York spokeswoman said: "The University has a hugely positive impact on the local economy, employing more than 3,000 staff and sustaining a host of local businesses through student spending.

“With regards to transport, the University has been successful in reducing the number of commuter car journeys to and from campus. University subsidies for local bus services and support for cyclists are among the solutions which have been particularly effective.

“At the same time, we recognise that some members of the University community park in the local residential areas. Consequently, we support the efforts of City of York Council to manage car parking through parking restrictions and other measures. We believe that permission to create additional parking on the Heslington East campus would also help to alleviate the effects on our neighbours.”