New parking regulations in Seahouses to be introduced before Easter influx of visitors

The changes on Main Street are to be carried out by Northumberland County Council with the aim of reducing congestion problems – despite the presence of double yellow lines on both sides of the street.

Neil Snowdon, principal highways programme officer, provided the update in a letter to members of North Sunderland Parish Council.

He said: “We are in the process of making a new order for Main Street. The intention will be to have the scheme in place by Easter.”

The plan is for Main Street to become a single yellow line, with no parking in the day. However, parking in the evening and early morning will still be allowed.

North Sunderland Parish Council has requested that the draft order be amended so there is no parking from 9am rather than 8.30am.

“We want it to be from 9am to 6pm,” said chairman, Coun Geoffrey Stewart.

The new regulation will also coincide with the creation of more disabled parking in the main car park, so blue badge holders who can currently park on the Main Street through the day don't lose out.

“They’ll need to do that before they start the Main Street scheme,” said Coun Alan Trotter.

Last month, parish councillors had called for the new parking restrictions to be implemented before tourists begin to descend on the village in large numbers.

The project had been on hold until the completion of a £3million refurbishment programme at the harbour.

Meanwhile, councillors have repeated their call for drainage issues on Main Street to be investigated.

Coun David Donaldson said: “When it rains, the water just runs over the top of the drains like a river down to the harbour. It badly needs sorting out.”

Coun Guy Renner-Thompson, Bamburgh ward county councillor, said the council’s drainage machine had been broken but is now fixed.

“I’ve been told that Seahouses – and Warenford, which also has issues – are going to be at the top of the list,” he said. “I’ll push them along to get on with it.”