RESIDENTS who live near the new Glasgow hospital have vowed to fight council plans to introduce parking permits.

The Residents Association of Govan and Linthouse met last night to discuss possible solutions to the proposed pay and display parking scheme, which could be set up across the area due to the lack of parking available at the nearby Southern General Hospital.

Locals have proposed a free permit system that would be offered to every resident and would allow them to continue to park freely on their street.

The scheme would also ban any parking meters from appearing in the area, which residents say will encourage other people to park in the area and further reduce resident spaces.

Lisa Devlin, a member of the Residents Association and a nurse at the hospital, said asking residents to pay for a parking space which is not guaranteed under the pay and display scheme is "ridiculous."

The 34-year-old said: "Apparently there has been consultation about the situation but I'm yet to meet anyone who was consulted.

"We're looking at charges of £50 a year for residents and up to £750 for businesses.

"It simply cannot happen.

"We have sought legal advice and will put through a formal objection if we can get every resident to sign it and I believe we can.

"I am not doing this for nothing this will not happen."

However, the council said that traffic surrounding the medical site must be managed in some way.

Councillor Alistair Watson, Executive Member of Sustainability and Transport, said: "This new hospital on the doorstep is increasing the traffic and must be managed.

"We are working with SPT and transport companies to improve transport."

Labour MSP, Johann Lamont, has promised to take the issue to parliament.

She said: "We have to create an incentive to get people to use the car parks and off the streets."