SELFISH drivers are costing Ringwood ratepayers money, said town council clerk Terry Simpson after hedge trimming work was scuppered by motorists on Tuesday.

Drivers ignored Ringwood Town Council requests not to park on the grass verge outside Carvers Field on November 15 to enable the subcontractor Roger Burfield to cut the hedges.

Ringwood Town Council had issued leaflets to Ringwood homes, informing residents that hedge trimming was due to take place on November 15.

And laminated “no parking” signs and bollards were placed on the grass verge.

But on Tuesday morning, the council's groundsmen found that motorists had squeezed their cars in between the bollards.

“The selfishness of people parking here is costing Ringwood residents,” said Mr Simpson.

“We pay Mr Burfield a daily rate to cut the hedges in Ringwood. The fact that he has been prevented from doing his job means we will either have to hire him for another day or cut the hedge by hand – both of which incur extra cost to the taxpayer.

“Technically, cars should not park on this verge as it falls under a traffic regulation order and it will be enforced if cars block access or park over the public footpath.”

On Tuesday morning a New Forest District Council car park attendant was issuing tickets to motorists who had parked on the verge.

Head groundsman Clive Wentworth said: “This is such a waste of ratepayers’ money. Do these motorists not understand the problems they are causing?”