Residents have objected to a proposed waiting ban along Lavernock Road, questioning the need for double yellow lines there.

The Vale of Glamorgan Council has proposed prohibiting waiting, loading and parking along the road, stretching from St Mary's Well Bay Road to Brockhill Rise, on either side.

Jon Dewis, a resident of Cosmeston Cottages, said the initial problem that emerged last summer has not been an issue this year.

"During lockdown, the council decided to close Cosmeston car park, and that's when we had all the cars parked along here," Jon told Nub News.

"We've just come through a bank holiday, and I monitored Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Not one car was parked on that road.

"So, what's the point? The question I've asked the council, because people seem to be accepting the charges at Cosmeston and they're not parking here, is why do you need to put double yellow lines down?"

'Park in the official car park'

Alongside his wife Julie, Jon organises Penarth's annual Open Gardens trail. Popular among the town's elderly population, double yellow lines would limit their access to the event he said.

"They're not going to be able to park at Cosmeston and walk here, it's too far," said Jon.

"We raised £5,000 this year for The Children's Society. Now, we're not going to be able to do that, and the ones that will suffer are the children."

Jon also said that when cars had parked on Lavernock Road, they reduced the number of speeding vehicles through the 30mph stretch.

"People speed because it's a long road, but funnily enough when we had all the cars parked outside with our event, it slowed the traffic down because they had to pass them," he said.

"If they do put double yellow lines here, it will prevent the police vehicles from parking here to carry out speed checks."

Residential parking permits were enforced from 19 July at the nearby Cosmeston Drive and surrounding streets the week of Penarth's Open Garden Trail. Attendees who parked in these resident zones were issued warning letters, Jon told Nub News, which ordered them to use the "official car park" at Cosmeston Country Park.

"Say I've got visitors coming, they'll have to park at the 'official car park' rather than near my home," said Jon.

"I've got space for four cars on my drive, and not everyone has that. What if it's a birthday party, with several guests? Where are our visitors going to park?

"There's no way they'll give us permits, like on Cosmeston Drive and the estate."

Other residents, however, are in favour of the proposals. Julie Powell, a Lavernock Road resident, told Nub News she was "all for it".

"We had great problems during lockdown when they first shut Cosmeston car park. The weather was still nice, so people were still coming and parking along here," she told Nub News.

"They were parking all the way up to the driveways, and it just made it so dangerous because traffic already goes far too quickly on this road.

"Add in pedestrians and cyclists, it was just disastrous."

Julie felt the busy road needed additional safety measures: "Although I'm not keen on the thought of double yellow lines, because it urbanises the area, it's a busy road that needs to be made safer.

"It's right and proper that people can't park on the estate now, but it does mean people are going to come along here and park."

But long-time Cosmeston Drive resident Nicola Penny has been outspoken in her criticism of the permits and said the prohibiting waiting on Lavernock Road would be "pointless".

"It's a long road to Cosmeston and nobody parks there," she said.

"With the permits here, you're allowed one visitor at a time, which is fine if you've got space on your driveway, but not everyone does.

"It would be much better to have specific resident and visitor parking bays on the estate. Now it just means those on Lavernock Road aren't allowed visitors either.

"I've lived here for 19 years and never had an issue until now."

Sully and Lavernock Community Council said it saw "little reason for the double yellow lines".

"There doesn't seem to be an issue currently, and the phrase 'sledgehammer to crack a nut' came up more than once," chair Lino Scaglioni wrote in a letter to the Vale Council.

"If the Vale Council pursue this policy it is likely to be interpreted as no more than a means of shepherding more vehicles on to the chargeable parking at Cosmeston Park, however it is dressed up."

A Vale of Glamorgan Council spokesperson said: "This scheme has been brought in after comprehensive engagement with the local community indicated the majority of residents were in favour of its introduction.

"Rather than address historical issues, its implementation now is an attempt to protect residents from possible displacement parking.

"Without it, the area could be flooded with the vehicles of visitors to nearby Cosmeston Country Park, where parking charges have recently been introduced.

"Free parking permits are available for every vehicle registered at an address, while each household is also entitled to a free visitor permit."

The consultation period ends on Friday 3 September.