by Sam Rkaina

More than 200 angry residents gave Bristol City Council a rough ride over the proposed residents' parking scheme at a packed meeting.

Officers and councillors were frequently jeered, heckled, interrupted and laughed at during last night's lengthy and often bad-tempered debate about two pilot schemes mooted for Kingsdown and Brandon Hill, Clifton.

Scores of people walked out of the three-hour discussion, claiming that their concerns were not being addressed.

If introduced the scheme would see households having to pay £30 for the right to park one vehicle on their street, £110 to park two and £310 for three.

Although the council cabinet will make the final decision on Thursday, the sustainable development and transport scrutiny commission can make recommendations and give the executive members an idea of what the public think.

Last night's extra meeting was held because councillors had specifically said they were not given detailed enough results from the summer's consultation exercise when they met last month.

Of the 53,000 questionnaires sent out, around 13,000 were sent back but a detailed breakdown and analysis of the findings was not provided last time and councillors said many questions still remained unanswered.

Among the many concerns raised were the alleged bias of the consultation process, fears that pilot schemes were the thin end of the wedge, the potentially damaging effect on businesses and the sense the council would force the zones through regardless of public opinion.

Dozens of residents had submitted written questions ahead of the meeting but many were not answered in time, something which commission chairman Alex Woodman (Lib Dem, Cabot) admitted was an "awful mistake".

So many people turned up to the meeting a second room with a video screen had to be provided to accommodate them all, because there was not enough room in the main council chamber.

Some speakers, who lived in the pilot scheme areas, gave their support to the proposals but they were in the minority.

Steven Perry, in the Brandon Hill zone, said: "This report says that 54.9 per cent of people in this area are in favour of the scheme – this is not a marginal vote, we're talking about overwhelming support.

"I recently had an ambulance come to my house but it couldn't get to us.

"This city has too many cars in streets that were designed for a different era.

"I hope the councillors will not be intimidated by this well-orchestrated campaign."

Mr Perry was heckled by opponents in the audience, which promoted Councillor Woodman to tell members of the public to show speakers respect regardless of their views.

Of 72 neighbourhood areas consulted, there were only six where more than 50 per cent of people said they wanted the scheme. All six are around the existing Controlled Parking Zone in the centre of the city.

Bernard Cooke, of campaign group Keep Parking Free, said: "If the council had done an open and fair consultation and the answer was people want it, I think they would accept it, that's democracy. But that hasn't happened and that's the rub, this was hugely flawed and hugely biased."

Head of transport David Bishop stressed Bristol had a huge transport problem and that the scheme was one of a package of measures to deal with it, reducing congestion and pollution.

But most speakers argued that citywide, the majority of people who responded to the survey were against the proposed zones.

Bristol councillors agreed to pass feedback from their meeting to cabinet ahead of Thursday's decision.