MORE parking spaces are to be lost in Dursley as Gloucestershire County Council prepares to reserve a dozen spaces for staff at a new social work hub in the town.

The news comes as Dursley Town Council publish the notes from a multi-agency meeting held to discuss traffic and parking problems in the town.

A number of potential solutions to ongoing issues in the town were discussed in the meeting, including making Long Street one-way and altering restrictions in Parsonage Street.

One of the most significant revelations coming as a result of the published notes is that Stroud District Council had been in ongoing negotiations with the county council to purchase Castle Street car park, a parking area with a limit of one hour used most frequently by people shopping in the town’s high street.

It is understood that, despite many town councillors and Stroud district councillors believing the sale was complete, GCC has retained ownership of the car park and now wishes to reserve 12 spaces for a team of social workers who will be stationed in Dursley Library.

District councillor for Dursley Doina Cornell told the Gazette: “We thought it was a done deal.

“This is an example of a need for the county council going against the local need, and all it’s going to do is make people angry.

“It doesn’t fit with what we’re trying to do in the long term at all and is going to have a negative impact on people.”

The county council have been approached for a comment and their statement will be added to this story as soon as it arrives.

Other information released in the meeting’s notes was more positive, with an array of potential solutions offered for problem areas in the town.

Suggestions for Long Street, which was overwhelmed with illegal parking following the closure of its long stay car park in March, included creating traffic bays by introducing a one-way system on the road and bringing in parking permits to help manage usage by residents and visitors.

Parsonage Street has also presented a long running problem to councillors and traders due to unclear signage and a speed limit which, at 30mph, many believe to be too high. Suggestions to improve the road include conducting a video survey monitor traffic movements and usage and considering revising the existing restrictions by making Parsonage Street one way for its entire length.

The public will be consulted on the proposals before any of them are taken ahead.