THE need for parking issues on Salisbury Street in Fordingbridge to be policed by authorities has been flagged up by a local councillor.

Concerns have previously been raised over vehicles being parked along the road and a petition was launched in April calling for action to make Salisbury Street safer, including 24 hour parking restrictions and provision of a space for deliveries.

Vehicles are able to park on the single yellow lines during certain time periods.

But, Councillor Andrew Lewendon told a meeting of Fordingbridge Town Council on August 7 that cars had been seen parked on the double yellow and zigzag lines. He said: “This evening in Salisbury Street there were three cars parked on double yellow lines outside the Chinese and two parked in the bus stop in the Salisbury direction. We had the Tesco’s lorry unloading, the bus for Salisbury came up and he couldn’t get into his slot. Because the cars we’re coming the other way nothing could move - it was absolutely jammed solid.

“We also had one car on the zigzag lines. There was one outside the bookshop and one across the road from the florist. We’ve got nine cars committing offences there.”

New Forest District councillor Ann Sevier, who represents Fordingbridge, said: “We have a service level agreement with Hampshire [County Council], which I believe has now been signed off, for us to do parking on the roads because that is a highways matter.”

Cllr Lewendon added: “I’m trying to make the point we need some policing.”

Cllr Ann Sevier said parking on zigzag lines was a police matter.

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An NFDC spokesperson said: “We continue to enforce the regulations that are in place in Salisbury Street, Fordingbridge, which cover the period between 8.00 am and 6.00 pm. Since concerns were raised we have increased patrols, particularly in the early morning and early evening, and the number of penalty notices we have issued has increased.

“NFDC’s deputy leader and portfolio holder for planning and infrastructure, Councillor Edward Heron, met with Fordingbridge Town Council at the beginning of the summer to discuss the concerns about parking in that location. Fordingbridge Town Council is convening a working group to look at traffic management issues within the town, with a particular focus on the current parking restrictions in place on Salisbury Street and how these might be changed to improve highway safety.

“The current traffic management programme for 2019/20 has been agreed, so any proposed changes would need to be considered for inclusion in the 2020/21 programme. NFDC currently carries out on street enforcement on behalf of Hampshire County Council, under an agreement which is due to end on 31 March 2020. Any proposals from the Town Council would therefore need to be agreed with HCC, who will have direct responsibility for on-street parking restrictions and their enforcement.”