The City of St. John’s is changing one of the rules when it comes to getting vehicles off the street after a snowfall.

Currently, vehicles have to be off the street during the weather event, but this winter they will have to remain off the road for 24 hours after the snow ends.

City officials say that will actually speed up snow-clearing by reducing the number of trips plows have to make to a street. One of the greatest impediments to snow-clearing outside the downtown is vehicles left on the street, forcing the operator to cut a swath to avoid hitting the vehicle.

In spelling out the change, public works lead Councillor Ian Froude noted that this will go along with the winter night-time parking ban.

So in addition to no parking overnight in the winter, owners would not be allowed to leave their vehicles on the street outside the regular overnight prohibitive period.