DORCHESTER town councillor Janet Hewitt has again criticised poor parking and the lack of council action over the issue on the town’s Victoria Park.

She says that on Thursday a fire engine on blue lights was delayed in Coburg Road between the Middle School and Thomas Hardye School.

Cllr Hewitt says that parents parking to pick up children resulted in a school bus blocking the road when the fire engine arrived. With the bus driver unable to move the fire engine was only able to get by when a van driver managed to move onto the pavement.

“It is not the bus drivers fault. They are usually very good, but sometimes are left with no where to go because of the way people park outside the schools in Coburg Road,” said Cllr Hewitt.

Other issues in the area have included parents leaving their engines running while waiting to pick up, or drop off, causing a pollution hazard for youngsters, including their own.

Cllr Hewitt has previously complained about poor parking in the area. and asked for action from Dorset Council which has said it would investigate possible solutions. She says that the problem is often people parking too close to junctions which does not allow larger vehicles room to turn. The junction off Coburg Road into Windsor Road is a frequent problem area near the schools.

The issue dates back years with previous councillors for the ward also raising the issue of poor parking outside the schools – including stopping on zig-zag lines, across school entrances and on speed bumps.

Cllr Hewitt says she is also now asking the town council to back a request to Dorset Council for double yellow lines at the nearby junction of Garfield Avenue with Clarence Road.

“It is hard to conceive that such a situation is allowed to continue. Every day these two roads and others are used as 'car parks' where car owners leave their vehicles for the day. On Clarence Road cars are left on opposite sides of the road on a bend adjacent to Garfield Avenue in blatant disregard for generally accepted safe driving standards. In narrower Garfield Avenue, parking on just one side of it causes severe restrictions for its residents,” she said.

“I am asking therefore that at the very least Dorset Council allows Dorchester Town Council to put double yellow lines down Garfield Avenue extending on both sides of the road for at least 20 yards from its junction with Clarence Road and double yellow lines a minimum of 20 yards on both sides of Clarence Road from its junction with Garfield Avenue. This will not be an ideal solution since Clarence Road will remain a seriously congested and hazardous place to drive along. But it would at least be a start.”

She has also asked Dorset Council to consider a return of the park and ride which used to operate from the football club into town.

“Dorset Council has invited its electorate to comment on possible ways to combat climate change. Need one look further than reverting to having our own Park and Ride and encouraging car-sharing by limiting all of our roads to a maximum two hours parking on its residential roads? We need to decide whether we want our town to be a noisy, polluted environment or a pleasant place to visit and shop in.”

Cllr Hewitt said she was asking that at the very least Dorset Council allows Dorchester Town Council to put double yellow lines down Garfield Avenue extending on both sides of the road for at least 20 yards from its junction with Clarence Road and double yellow lines a minimum of 20 yards on both sides of Clarence Road from its junction with Garfield Avenue.

"This will not be an ideal solution since Clarence Road will remain a seriously congested and hazardous place to drive along. But it would at least be a start."

She has also asked Dorset Council to consider a return of the park and ride which used to operate from the football club into town.

"Dorset Council has invited its electorate to comment on possible ways to combat climate change."