PARKING controls could be extended to residential streets near a city centre to deter commuters seeking to evade long-stay charges.

Hawthorn Terrace, The Avenue, Western Hill and Atherton Street areas of Durham City were omitted from a pay-and-display parking scheme at the request of residents when restrictions were introduced in surrounding streets near the city centre, in the spring of 2001.

A small majority of residents helped to see off a subsequent bid by Durham County Council to introduce pay-and-display controls in September 2002.

But with the demand for parking in Durham at a premium, the streets have become a magnet for commuters seeking to avoid city centre charges.

With the onset of Durham's park-and-ride scheme, set to be introduced in December, aimed at freeing up parking space in the city, the county council is making a further bid to introduce charges in the group of streets, to the west of the city centre.

Chris Tunstall, the county council's deputy chief executive for environment, said: "Free unrestricted parking in these streets has become extremely attractive for those drivers seeking to avoid parking charges and, as a consequence, the streets are occupied to their full capacity.

"The demand for uncontrolled space created indiscriminate, unsafe and, at times, obstructive parking in some streets close to the city centre.

"It has therefore been necessary to introduce waiting restrictions in both the Hawthorn Terrace area and The Avenue to address some of the problems.

"With the impending opening of park and ride, it is essential that those areas of uncontrolled space are incorporated into the parking scheme to enable commuters to be redirected to the park and ride facilities."

A full consultation programme and public exhibition of the proposals was staged in May and attracted 12 objections.

These were mainly from local people seeking a resident-only restriction, whereas, under the proposals, they are permitted up to two £30 parking permits per household.

Other responses call for parking to be permit holder-only in affected streets.

Twenty-nine residents have written to the county council supporting the proposals.

They are recommended for approval at Friday's meeting of the county council's highways committee.