A BOROUGH council is lifting parking rules amid Coronavirus, meaning new takeaway services can operate fully.

Test Valley Borough Council (TVBC) has confirmed to waive loading rules outside businesses that are now operating take away services, providing they are not causing obstruction.

Councillor Nick Adams-King, who is Deputy Leader of TVBC, has put forward this motion to help business across the district during the Covid-19 crisis.

He has urged residents to "be sensible" while collecting a takeaway.

He said: "I have this morning arranged with the parking enforcement team in Test Valley to ALLOW loading outside businesses that are now operating a take away/food delivery service, providing they are not causing an obstruction or are parked in a disabled parking space.

This will enable much more flexibility for businesses which otherwise may have had parking restrictions in place outside their premises."

Cllr Nick Adams-King added: "Currently, Test Valley Borough Council enforces on-street parking on behalf of Hampshire County Council (the highways authority).

"From the 1st April this arrangement comes to an end.

"I have, however, received an undertaking from County that they will similarly relax these restrictions until the end of the coronavirus crisis.

"Please be sensible, if you park on double yellow lines do so for only as long as it takes to collect your take away, and please ensure you are not blocking the road while doing so."

A number of businesses in Romsey and the surrounding villages are operating take out services amid the Coronavirus, and need space for customers to pick up their food.

Test Valley Borough Council has been contacted for comment.

This comes as Hampshire County Council is set to take over Test Valley Borough Council's parking responsibilities across the borough.

Test Valley Borough Councillor, John Parker, previously said: "They are planning to make various changes to the controlled parking areas including increasing the cost of a resident's parking permit from £15 to £30 this year and subsequently up to £50.

"They will also be moving from paper parking permits to electronic ones and changing the rules about visitor parking permits.

"At this stage these are only proposals but I get the feeling that they are likely to be taken forward unless there is a concerted campaign to the contrary."