NEW parking restrictions will be imposed on the main road into Cleethorpes to prevent parked cars for sale clogging up the highway.
On-street parking bays along the full length of Grimsby Road will be subject to a two-hour waiting restriction, with no return allowed within two hours.
The new restrictions, which will be enforced between 8am and 6pm Monday to Saturday, were approved by North East Lincolnshire Council's portfolio holder for environment, Councillor Peter Wheatley, this week.
They were drawn up by highways chiefs in response to a petition from residents, which was presented to the council last month.
As reported, the petition called for action to clamp down on the sale of cars on the highway, which they said was depriving businesses on the main road of valuable parking, as well as forcing more cars into already crowded side streets.
Councillor Wheatley said: "We received numerous complaints from residents about vehicles for sale being parked in the laybys along Grimsby Road and we have taken swift action to eliminate what has been a long- running problem.
"Having a restriction of two hours will prevent people parking cars there for two or three weeks at a time. We also feel it will allow sufficient time for people visiting the shops to do their business."
Councillor Wheatley said that, at times, the parking bays along Grimsby Road had been populated not only by cars for sale, but boats and caravans as well.
He added: "At one point there was a caravan in need of some tender loving care which was parked there for quite some time.
"Bearing in mind this is the main entrance to the resort, we do not want to see dilapidated caravans parked on the roadside."
Andy Cartwright, manager of Richardson's cycle shop, said: "We have had cars parked out the front and parking is a bit tight around here. When you get vans outside it blocks the view of the shop to drivers coming into Cleethorpes so this new restriction will be a benefit us."
However, Mike Spencer, owner of the Spencer Taylor photography studio, believes the two-hour limit will not be long enough for some of his customers.
He said: "There is a bit of a problem but I don't think there's any need for parking restrictions."
Restricted parking already exists along Grimsby Road, between Park Street and Daubney Street, where a one-hour limit is enforced between 8am and 8pm Monday to Saturday.
The new two-hour waiting restriction between 8am and 6pm Monday to Saturday will be imposed on the lay-bys between Daubney Street and Poplar Road, where there are currently no restrictions.
Councillor Wheatley suggested that the new restrictions could cause a problem for motorists attending Grimsby Town matches at Blundell Park, but said he believed most spectators parked along the nearby side streets. The club declined to comment.
He said the impact of the new restrictions would be closely monitored, adding: "If we find that people are having problems we will look at it again."
