COUNCIL transport bosses are to hold talks with the University of York to draw up a new strategy for tackling parking problems near its campus extension.

City of York Council began a trial of extra measures designed to address complaints from residents in the Badger Hill area about students taking up spaces near their homes at the start of the year, and has now agreed to extend this scheme.

Coun Dave Merrett , the authority’s cabinet member for transport, planning and sustainability, has also cleared officers to begin “detailed discussions” with the university with a view to developing a “wider parking strategy” around its Heslington East campus.

The original measures saw restrictions introduced on several residential streets in Badger Hill, and these will now be expanded to include residents’ parking schemes at Hesketh Bank, Foxthorn Paddock, Pinewood Hill and Badger Wood Walk, as well as on stretches of Deramore Drive and Yarburgh Way.

A report on the issue by council traffic technician Stephen Hockley said 129 residents from 81 properties which did not fall within the original trial area had signed a petition calling for a controlled parking zone, while 24 people living in the Sussex Road area wanted the traffic situation there to be looked at. The latter request will be included within the extended scheme.

“As the trial has only been in operation for approximately three months, it could be considered to be too early to make any significant amendments, as there may be issues which only come to light over the period of a full calendar year,” said the report.

“There are, however, a number of issues which need to be addressed more urgently. The University of York are currently only a few years into the 15-year expansion programme of the Heslington East campus and there may well be new parking concerns emerging as the development continues.

“It would be appropriate to formulate a clear strategy for addressing these issues in light of the experiences of the current trial.”

Mr Hockley’s report said the trial’s initial results showed it had been “partly successful” in “removing university-related parking from those areas worst-affected”, and the extra measures had not significantly moved parking problems elsewhere. It also said some of the traffic issues in the area may not be linked to the university.