A petition has been put to St Albans council after the introduction of a controlled parking zone “caused misery” for neighbouring residents.

Charmouth Road resident Gill Owen started the petition to review the controlled parking zone (CPZ), which was implemented in Clarence ward in December, claiming that it displaces cars to the surrounding roads in Marshalswick South.

According to residents, the CPZ is now largely devoid of cars in the daytime as only residents are allowed to park there, while neighbouring roads are overcrowded with commuters parking for the station or for Verulam School.

Gill’s petition was signed by 304 people, and she presented it to St Albans council’s Car Parking Working Group on Wednesday, February 6.

She said: “The council ‘consultation’ did not leaflet our streets and went ahead despite a minority being in favour of any controls being introduced.

“Most residents of the impacted neighbouring roads were completely shocked to wake up on December 3 and find their roads had become a car park.

“The scheme was implemented to address parking issues but it has merely moved these to other roads, which are thoroughfares rather than side streets.”

Battlefield Road resident Michael Bolton suggested introducing CPZs for the surrounding roads, as well as adjacent single yellow lines.

He said: “There are always about 300 car spaces available each weekday at the station car park, which could easily accommodate the 140 or so commuter cars parked in Battlefield, Lancaster, Gurney Court, Charmouth and Faircross Way.

“Commuters don’t want to pay the £7 per day parking costs at the station, but why should local residents be saddled with the problem?”

Residents of Woodstock Road have also previously complained about the CPZ displacing parking to their street.

Cllr Salih Gaygusuz, portfolio holder for business and the community, said: “Members of the Working Party listened to their plight and have responded by bringing forward a review of the CPZ as it is clearly causing considerable concern.

“We will now be looking to see if there are other solutions to meeting the needs of all the residents likely to be affected by commuter parking and not just one particular group.

“In the meantime, I’m looking at options to provide suitable parking for commuters and city centre workers to resolve this ongoing saga of people being pushed further away from a reasonable parking distance to the railway station.”