POOR parking in Dorchester is on the increase – putting pedestrians and other road users at risk, according to town councillors.

Abandoning vehicles on pavements, or half on-half off pavements, has become increasingly common with many drivers daily risking fines by parking on double yellow lines.

Some streets are said to have become so congested at times by poor parking that emergency vehicles would be unlikely to get through.

Problem areas include roads off High East Street, including North Square; parts of Fordington; Fourgates Road off the Bridport Road; Wessex Road and Poundbury Crescent; Monmouth Road and roads close to the South Station, as well as almost any residential road within half a mile of the town centre and roads with take-aways on them.

Town councillors heard that many residents are increasingly unwilling to use their cars at peak times if they manage to find a spot close to their home – for fear of losing the space.

Other problems in the town include long-term parking of camper vans, especially on residential roads at Poundbury, and long waits for residential parking orders to be put in place.

Cllr Stella Jones told the town council meeting that some roads had been on a list to be considered for residents parking for twenty years or more and she had campaigned for almost 50 years for orders on some roads in Fordington.

Parking outside the South Station where some stay for a week or more.

The Dorset Council officer responsible for parking enforcement told the meeting that with more money and staff the problems could be partially solved – but there would always be drivers who would chance dodgy parking rather than find and pay for a parking space.

Dorset Council service manager for parking services, Michael Westwood, admitted that in some areas in Dorchester, as in other towns, the problems were getting worse with an increasing number of drivers being prepared to risk parking on double yellow lines, in dangerous places, on grass verges and on pavements.

He said that, on most days, there were two parking wardens working in the county town, with occasional evening patrols as well.

"There are problems out there. Once people get a feel that we're not about they do take advantage," he said.

A ten minute walk around the town centre on the day following the evening meeting found ten vehicles parked on double yellow lines in North Square, six on double yellows in Princes Street and two in Icen Way as well as two vans in South Street at a time when vehicles are banned.

On the evening of the meeting a car had been parked completely on the pavement alongside the bus stop outside the County Museum.

Cllr Sue Biles, who lives off North Square, said that the poor parking close to her home, including by camper vans, left her worrying about what might happen if someone needed an ambulance or fire engine – in addition to the risk forthose with child buggies and disabled chairs being forced into the narrow road at The Bow because of vehicles parking on pavements.

Dorset Council has been accused of making the town's parking problems worse by re-introducing parking fees for staff working at County Hall and bringing in new traffic orders to control parking on the south side of the car park barriers.

Cllr Fiona Kent-Ledger said she knew of many Dorset Council staff now seeking out places in the town where they could park for free, rather than pay to park close to their offices.

Other issues include electronic signs indicating the number of spaces available in public car parks not working properly which Cllr Jones has repeatedly asked to be switched off, claiming the wrong information was misleading drivers.

Cllr Molly Rennie said none of the problem areas could be resolved in isolation – with any changes likely to push problem parking into other areas. She suggested that a town-wide review of parking was needed, a step which, she admitted would take a long time and a lot of money at a time when Dorset Council was financially stretched.