Calls to solve inconsiderate parking at Lakeside Estate in Eastleigh

Those living at Lakeside Estate said the "too many cars" parked inconsiderately on Somers Way, Argosy Crescents and the nearby roads are putting people's lives at risk as they obstruct emergency vehicles and increase the risk of accidents involving pedestrians.

This comes after ambulances struggled to get through the estate few months ago, leaving residents in need waiting for minutes. (the residents did not remembered exactly when it happened and said they did not know who were the residents waiting for the ambulances)

Now residents said they have had enough and are calling for action to be taken as soon as possible.

Richard Knight, 39, mechanical engineer, lives on Argosy Road and said: "Everybody in the whole area has had enough. It's a good year we have been asking the council and the developer to do something but nothing has changed so far.There's no way an emergency vehicle can go through. We feel like it's going to take somebody to be injured or a house to be burned out before any action is taken."

Residents said that as the road is still owned by the developer Barratt Homes there are not parking restrictions in place and although Eastleigh Borough Council issued an Experimental Traffic Order last month to provide temporary solutions including double yellow lines and time-limited parking zones, nothing has been done yet.

Residents said the whole area is turned into chaos in the morning and they believe that most of the people who park their cars at the estate are students who attend the nearby Eastleigh College.

Kelly Williams, 35, carer, from Eastleigh, lives in Somers Way and said: "Students have figured out they can park for free here. We have also had a car that has been parked here for three weeks, it must have been somebody who used the airport. The whole estate just fills up in the morning. Everybody has tried to do everything about it but nothing has been done. It looks like it's nobody's responsibility. It's just a nightmare."

Residents said they have contacted the local authority, the developer, the college and the police several times in the past years.

Eastleigh College said in a statement: "We are aware of the ongoing parking issues in the local area, and would like to reassure local residents that we continuously remind our students to park respectfully and legally.

"We are continuing to work with Eastleigh Borough Council and our local councillors regarding parking restrictions in the local area in order to try and resolve this issue.

"This is a decision made by the council and is yet to be resolved. We will continue to work with our students to discourage these events from happening.”

Gary Webster, Barratt Homes technical director, said: "We are aware of parking issues in the area and have been in liaison with Eastleigh Borough Council and Hampshire County Council for them to implement temporary parking measures ahead of the roads being adopted. The adoption is expected within the next few weeks."

A spokesman for Hampshire police said: "Neighbourhood officers have been speaking to residents about issues related to parking on the Lakeside Estate.

"Parking is the responsibility of Eastleigh Borough Council and we are supporting them as they work towards a solution."

Councillor Rob Humby, executive member for environment and transport at Hampshire County Council, said: “We have been liaising with our colleagues at Eastleigh Borough Council and understand an experimental traffic order will be implemented at the Lakeside Estate in the next few weeks."

The Echo has contacted the college, ambulance service and developer for comment.

Last month town bosses in Eastleigh said that temporary measures included in the traffic order may initially stay in place for six months, during which time the council will work with residents to evaluate the most effective permanent solution.

The authority had also said it had been working with the developer and Hampshire County Council to address the issue.