People living in Sudbury who have been plagued by parking problems around their homes have attended a meeting to air their concerns.

Since long-stay parking charges were introduced at the town’s Station Road car park, residents of nearby Hyde Road say commuters are leaving their cars in overcrowded residential streets to avoid paying the £2 fee.

As part of a joint initiative with Babergh District Council – which runs Sudbury’s car parks – the town council has been asked by the county highways department to recommend areas that could benefit from permit parking schemes or restrictions. A list of eight locations has been drawn up and people living in those areas will be asked for their views on the proposed measures, which could include one-hour ‘no parking’ zones or a permit scheme.

At a meeting this week, the town council’s highways committee also identified Ingrams Well Road – which runs alongside Belle Vue Park – as an area requiring urgent attention. Hyde Road residents asked the committee to put the area around their homes, including Edgworth Road, Meadow Lane and Corporal Lillie Close at the top of a list. One of them, Jill Garrett, said: “We live in the closest streets to the station and since the introduction of parking fees, the situation has become unbearable. I work a 12 hour day and there are people waiting in the morning for me to leave my space. Then and when I return home, I can’t park outside my own house, so I have to park in the public car park while I wait for people to leave.”

Melvyn Baker, who also lives in Hyde Road, asked if the council would consider building a multi-storey car park near the station.

But committee member Jack Owen said there was plenty of room in the existing car park, with many spaces left empty by people who simply did “not want to pay”. He added: “The introduction of parking charges has forced people on to the streets and we want to force them back in to the car park. This will benefit the residents and will also benefit Babergh by generating more income.”

Other areas under consideration include the Croft, School Street, Cavendish Way and York Road. The county council is yet to confirm if it will implement the measures simultaneously.