ATTLEBORO - City residents who scramble to find off-street parking every winter will continue to scramble for the foreseeable future.

The city council unanimously rejected an attempt to scrap the winter parking ban Tuesday by voting to strike it from the docket, which means the measure had so little support it did not get a direct vote.

In addition to the council, the mayor along with police, fire and public works officials opposed any change.

Former Ward 1 Councilor Jim Hanley brought the matter to the panel in September, urging colleagues to lift the nightly ban and adopt a plan that would prohibit street parking only when 2 inches or more of snow was on the ground or when the mayor deemed it appropriate because of impending bad weather.

Hanley argued lifting the ban made sense because modern weather forecasts are accurate and modern communications can alert residents to move their cars before plowing and sanding begins. The current ban, which will remain in effect, forces residents to remove their motor vehicles from the streets every night from Dec. 1 through March 31, regardless of the weather.

Hanley had argued finding off-street parking is an unnecessary burden for many motorists, especially in crowded neighborhoods, and is senseless on clear winter nights.

Councilor Bill Bowles almost opposed the motion to strike, arguing for parking space hunters and those who shuffle cars in tight driveways daily.

"There are a lot of people who don't have other options for parking," he said.

However, he changed his mind after listening to colleague Peter Blais, who heads up the the public works committee.

Blais said keeping vehicles off the streets is the only way to properly plow and sand the streets in bad weather.

"It's worked well through the years and I see no reason to change it," he said.