Residents living in part of St Albans are claiming their views have been ignored when it comes to the implementation of new parking restrictions.

Households in the Charmouth Road and Charmouth Court area of Marshalswick South ward, just north of Sandpit Lane, are up in arms over plans to impose a Controlled Parking Zone with extended double yellow lines in their street in a bid to tackle commuter parking.

They insist this will force residents to compete with each other for parking spaces as there are few private driveways, and is merely a reaction to problems caused by a similar scheme in neighbouring Clarence ward.

Karen Ellam, a member of the Charmouth Parking Group, said: "We are having continual issues with the council over the proposed implementation of a new parking scheme, which have been brought about by mis-management or the Clarence scheme - where there are now endless empty parking bays in roads - and their unwillingness to modify that scheme.

"Instead the commuter parking problem is just being pushed further and further away from the station, from one ward to another with no consideration of the overall effect it is having on residents or the ambience of St Albans.

"The council has just published the results of a public consultation and it is very clear that they have not taken any of the comments raised by the residents of Charmouth Road and Charmouth Court into consideration at all.

"We all appreciate that there is a problem at the southern end of Charmouth Road by the roundabout with some increased parking from commuters following the implementation of the Clarence scheme, but to extend the parking restrictions all the way up the road, with no variance in time periods is forcing residents to buy permits and in some cases forcing them to park a considerable distance from their house.

"It is also transforming the ambience of the area with lots of unnecessary white lines."

Resident Roger Hook said: "Many residents in Marshalwick South are at odds with the council over prospective new parking restrictions which have been prompted by the knock-on effects of the previously implemented Clarence scheme, over which we were not consulted. The council failed to see the obvious, i.e. that when the Clarence scheme was put in place, commuters would instead park in Marshalwick South. As a result, a scheme is being foisted on us which we do not want."

Amila Kitchingman, who lives in Charmouth Road, said: "It is evident from the results of the consultation that the majority of residents actually oppose the scheme.

"It is clear that councillors are absolutely determined to roll out this scheme regardless of how little sense it makes, if it is indeed safe or how much it is going to cost.

"The carrot they are dangling to us being that the scheme will be reviewed in 18 months. What if there is an accident and someone gets injured or worse whilst crossing the road? Will they take responsibility for that?

"Why spend all this money in the first place towards a scheme that will be challenged and is unworkable?"

A St Albans district council spokesperson said: “All responses to the CPZ consultation were considered and published.

“The decision to introduce the CPZ was made with regard to our duty to manage the road network for all road users including pedestrians.

“Our aims were to improve road safety, traffic flow and safe access for key services while ensuring adequate kerbside parking space for residents.

“We appreciate that not all residents will be happy with the restrictions that were put in place, but these aims must take priority.

The process for introducing a permit parking scheme or CPZ in the Clarence Ward was subject to an audit following concerns raised. The audit findings concluded that the correct procedures had been followed.”