RESIDENTS may need to form groups and get the backing of their local councillor before their requests for traffic calming and parking restrictions are heard.

Weymouth Town Council’s planning committee has agreed to bring a new policy forward.

The policy states that residents requesting traffic calming and parking restrictions must make any requests in writing and that they will only be considered if supported by 10 named residents aged over 18.

The residents must live in the area and must also have the backing of a local ward town councillor.

If requests aren’t made in this way, then they will be returned to the residents with the additional needs explained.

Town clerk Jane Biscombe said: “Members will recall that at the last meeting you had your first request for support for traffic calming and parking restrictions.

“Dorset Council has said they will only consider such request from the public if supported by the town council.

“So this is just a short policy statement that we can publicise to the public and speak to people who are coming to talk to us about such measures, just to say that requests for support for traffic calming and parking restrictions will only be heard by the committee if they're supported by at least 10 named residents, who are over the age of 18 and live in the directly affected area.

“The point of this is so, if it’s in Sutton Poyntz, then there can’t be someone in Wyke Regis saying they support it. It needs to be local people.

“They will also need the support of one local named town councillor.

“This is important if people are requesting speed tables or speed bumps. We want to know that the people whose house is next to the speed bumps are in support of it.

She added: “This is saying if you would like it to go before the planning committee, it must have the support of 10 residents and a local ward town councillor, then the committee can hear it and decide whether it wishes to support that request and pass it on to Dorset Council.”

Currently, requests for new traffic management measures must be passed through local and parish councils or the elected member of the respective ward.

Dorset Council doesn’t accept request directly from individual residents.

Cllr Graham Winter said: “Having something as a policy is a step in the right direction in my view.”

Councillors agreed the policy as an interim measure pending a full policy being brought to a future finance and governance meeting.

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