Residents taking sides over parking in Alton road

A dispute over which side of a road in Alton is safer for people to park on has arisen again - eight months after a proposal to change it.

Spitalfields Road allows parking outside numbers 14 to 22, where the pavement is three feet wide and front doors open on to it, but not on the opposite side which has a broader footway and houses with front gardens.

Last August Hampshire County Council put forward Traffic Order Proposal A2083/DL, which would have included no waiting at any time regulations on parts of both sides of the road.

Dian Sellers, who had lived on the narrow southern side since 2004, objected to that plan.

She said: “None of the houses directly affected have front gardens. I rely on the parked cars as a buffer between my house and moving traffic. The parked cars protect me when leaving my house on to a narrow footpath.”

Cllr Lorna Woodcroft, Eastbrooke ward’s new Alton town councillor, told the Herald: “I will pick this up with Diane.”

A Hampshire County Council spokesperson said: “We always aim to work constructively with anyone who raises concerns with us, and do everything we can to resolve issues directly.

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"However, this particular matter has now been escalated to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman and therefore it would not be appropriate for us to comment further at this time."