It comes in response to a lack of parking for residents in South Launceston, which the Launceston City Council has attributed to the hospital and nearby allied health centres.

The council has proposed  two or three-hour parking restrictions in parts of French, Galvin, Pedder, Gee, Garfield, Mulgrave, Charles Street South, West, Lord and Hampden streets.

The existing parking rules in Frankland Street, which runs parallel to the hospital, will not be changed. 

Before implementing the plan the council will write to every resident in the proposed ``parking precinct'' seeking their views on week-day parking restrictions. 

At least half the residents will have to back the parking measures for the council to implement them.

The council identified about 120 out of 420 properties in the area that would probably qualify for a parking permit if the scheme went ahead. 

A council audit in August found the hospital's new $15 million car park had only slightly improved parking availability in the surrounding area. 

On the day of the audit the car park's public parking areas were half occupied while the staff parking floors were ``well over'' 75 per cent full. 

A report to aldermen said it would cost about $20,000 to install the necessary parking signs and there was a risk the problem may just shift to other streets.