MOVES are being made to introduce permits for people living in Inverclyde’s town centres who are being hit in the pocket by new parking regulations.

Opposition SNP councillors Jim MacLeod and Chris McEleny have tabled an emergency motion calling for residents throughout the district to be given passes.

These would exempt people living in town centres from the new parking restrictions and charges brought in just over a fortnight ago.

Residents, particularly in places like Greenock’s Cathcart Street and King Street in Port Glasgow, are being forced to pay £1 a day to park near their homes because of time limits now being imposed on street parking.

They have also hit out at a lack of spaces in free car parks, many of which also have time limits.

The SNP group will make the call for residents’ parking permits at the environment and regeneration committee next Thursday, before their proposals are voted on by councillors.

The party had pressed for permits to be incorporated into the new council parking strategy before the scheme was rubber-stamped but their calls were rejected.

Councillors say they have been prompted into action following a backlash from town centre residents who feel they are getting a raw deal.

Mr McEleny, the SNP group leader, told the Tele: “We’ve received overwhelming feedback since the new parking scheme was implemented.

“The changes have had a detrimental impact on people who live in the town centre of Greenock. The SNP were the only group to ask that residents be given permits so that they were not fined for parking outside their house.

“Sadly the local Labour, Tory and Lib Dem parties voted against us to implement the scheme in its current form.

“This is something that officers must address as soon as possible and this time I hope the other political groups in the council support us.” Local authority bosses previously said all feedback and any concerns would be listened to as part of a review of the parking scheme after it has been operational for a year.

But the SNP group are asking officials to listen to the concerns of the people of Inverclyde and act upon them as a matter of urgency.

Opposition councillors admit something had to be done to tackle parking, which was unenforced for more than three years following the decision by police to axe the traffic warden service in 2011.

The SNP group has also praised the impact the new rules have had on places like Cathcart Square which is now traffic free for the first time in years.

Councillor McEleny added: “It’s clear that there are historic parking restrictions that are now being enforced, but we must have a debate as to whether these are fit for purpose today.

“Residents in central Port Glasgow and Gourock are also having issues parking near their home as streets that they previously parked on at night are now having restrictive waiting times enforced on them.” Their calls are being backed by local SNP MSP Stuart McMillan who feels the restrictions will in fact drive people out of Inverclyde.

Mr McMillan said: “I have received representations from Greenock traders and individuals, stating that waiting times of only 30 minutes in parts of Greenock town centre make it very difficult to shop in the high street area.

“The time limit means less people may use the high street shops and rather, as one individual said, just travel to Braehead Shopping Centre.

“Therefore, I hope the regulations can be looked at as we do not want to see a situation whereby the footfall in our shops and town centre drops and trade declines.”