OFFICIALS have pledged to review parking rules that could stop residents keeping cars in their streets.

People in The Sands area of Durham have complained that Durham County Council is implementing a policy of refusing them annual parking permits if they have a garage or a drive.

They say it is causing problems for some people because householders could have two or more cars and that some drives and garages were too small for modern cars.

A review of the rule has been promised following a meeting between council officers, council leader Ken Manton, Durham MP Gerry Steinberg, county councillor for Gilesgate Peter Thompson and Roberta Blackman-Woods, Labour's prospective parliamentary candidate for the next election.

Mr Steinberg welcomed the council's pledge. He said: "The county council has agreed to undertake a review of the scheme and its regulations.

"In the meantime, the status quo will be maintained, and any residents who have recently been refused a parking permit and who previously held a permit will have their applications favourably considered.

"This is the commonsense response we were seeking, and I am confident that the county council's review will sympathetically consider the pleas of residents and will not impose inappropriate and unnecessary regulations preventing residents from parking in front of their own homes, particularly where the streets are deserted."

Mr Steinberg said the council's on-street parking restrictions throughout the city centre, which include pay and display machines in several streets, had been beneficial, and said he was pleased at the council's response to the problems of residents at The Sands.

A county council spokesman said: "We have agreed to have another look at the situation.

"In the meantime, we will look favourably on all applications for permits in the area."