Port city approves winter parking ban

People who want to park on Saint John's narrow streets during the winter will soon have their cars towed following major snowstorms.

City council is going ahead with tougher parking laws in the central peninsula.

City council has approved a plan to ban overnight parking after snowstorms so city plows can clear the streets.

It's an annual problem. After a big snowfall, uptown Saint John is almost impassable.

Municipal operations commissioner Paul Groody says parked cars make it hard for the plows to get through.

"It's impossible to do an adequate snow clearance job with cars parked on the street. I'm always amazed by the efforts of our operators how they have to work in closed quarters they have so little space to work in."

Mayor Shirley McAlary agrees the plow operators were doing a good job under difficult circumstances.

"We're going to give this a try because it is better than what we have now," she says.

"If you drive in the southern peninsula part of the city right now after the last snow storm I mean there's many streets that you can barely drive through and certainly when a car tries to pass you there's no way two cars can pass."

The council has approved a one-night parking ban in the central peninsula following snowstorms.

Also, cars will only be allowed to park on one side of the street, which will alternate from week to week.

The city is also expanding the area where parking permits are required to accomodate people who live downtown.

That way fewer spots will be taken up by commuters during the day.

Parking committee member Norman Hamburg admits some people won't like the plan.

"It doesn't happen all that often yeah there is a little bit of inconvenience but we see it as just so much better than what's happening right now," he says.

The parking ban and the other changes won't happen until spring.