ANGRY residents have urged Suffolk police to enforce parking restrictions more rigorously after it was revealed that only one ticket is handed out every two weeks in some market towns.

By Richard Smith

ANGRY residents have urged Suffolk police to enforce parking restrictions more rigorously after it was revealed that only one ticket is handed out every two weeks in some market towns.

In a six-month period from April to September there were just 15 parking tickets issued in Aldeburgh, while there were only 14 in Leiston, 12 in Framlingham and 11 in Saxmundham.

But there were seven tickets in Woodbridge in September alone, along with 16 warning notices and 16 verbal warnings.

The role of traffic wardens has been taken over by community support officers, employed by Suffolk police, who have a range of responsibilities.

Anne-Marie Breach, a Suffolk police spokeswoman, confirmed: “We do not have traffic wardens in east Suffolk any more.

“We have community support officers who do patrol and we also have police officers who have the same powers to ticket.”

John Digby, former mayor of Aldeburgh, said yesterday: “We park where we like in Aldeburgh, that is what it amounts to.

“Traffic enforcement is not taking place and in the height of the season people are abusing the system because they know that there is not a traffic warden about 99% of the time.

“In August and July it was mayhem. I know that there is no easy solution but if people parked only for two hours and then moved on, that would free up the space for someone else.

“We did have a traffic warden and she sorted it out but now she is a community support officer and has other duties.

“One motorist parked for three days on a two-hour waiting limit - that was taking the mickey.”

Colin Ginger, a Leiston town councillor, said: “I think it's a very poor service we've got at the moment in the town. To see a traffic warden here is as scarce as seeing a Suffolk horse.

“We've got a parking problem in 'no waiting areas'. Cars can be parked just inside really busy junctions in a 'no waiting area' - that's just unacceptable.

“Our people pay their poll tax like everyone else but they are not getting the same service. We've either got to have one of these special officers in the town or revert back to traffic wardens but we can't just live in limbo.”

Marian Andrews, a Saxmundham town councillor, said: “If the traffic warden job comes under the police we need more police presence or traffic wardens need to be a separate entity organised by the county council.

“Our traffic warden re-trained as a CPO (community police officer) and I have to admit I haven't seen her in the town myself for a while.”