Saffron Walden roads 'dangerous' due to illegal parking

Residents of St John’s Close and Pleasant Valley have voiced their anger at drivers, whom they have called "selfish and stupid", regularly ignoring the double yellows around the junction of the two residential streets.

The double yellow lines and parking restrictions cover a small area at the junction where the two roads meet.

The roads are packed with a variety of sizes of homes, with a busy Tesco Express just yards away from the junction.

Resident Sophie McDonald, 35, said: "I don’t know what people are thinking about, it’s shocking parking there, it blocks your view when you are driving and using the junction.

"I also worry about walkers and children, too. We need something to be done about it very soon.

"We shouldn’t have to just put up with this. I know it’s annoying and worrying everyone who lives here."

Derek Potter, 71, also slammed the drivers and raised concerns about parking on the pavements.

He said: "I’ve never seen any parking officers or patrols here.

"It’s a big bugbear for many of us; we are all sick and tired of this now."

He also demanded extra work by the area's parking authority to "make the area safer for everyone".

The North Essex Parking Partnership deals with on-street parking in the town and surrounding areas.

Bosses say the parking authority conducts regular patrols in Saffron Walden.

A spokesperson for the North Essex Parking Partnership added: "The restrictions in St John’s Close mainly consist of junction protection, and our officers will issue penalty charge notices where they observe a clear parking contravention.

"There are, however, certain circumstances where vehicles are legally permitted to stop on double yellow lines.

"These include loading or unloading activity, or when a vehicle is being used by a Blue Badge holder with the badge and clock correctly displayed."

The parking authority also urged residents to report parking issues on their website.