The leader of East Cambridgeshire District Council has spoken out after “perpetual” parking problems were revealed in Ely’s high street.

Last week we published photographs taken by a Witchford resident of several vehicles parked on double yellow lines, blocking the road, at Forehill, Ely.

Peter Wells told us he was fed up of the disruption such parking causes. “If I parked my car there, I would get a ticket,” he said.

Ely Standard: Peter Wells has expressed his frustrating after witnessing ‘seven vehicles parking on double yellow lines’ at Forehill in Ely.Peter Wells has expressed his frustrating after witnessing ‘seven vehicles parking on double yellow lines’ at Forehill in Ely. (Image: Peter Wells)

“Why do I have to wait at either end of Forehill for traffic to come up or down what has become a one-lane road with traffic flowing in both directions?

“I came back up Forehill more than half an hour later, and the vans were still there, so the ‘I'm only here for a minute, mate’ response doesn't cut it with me.”

In a selection of photographs sent in by Mr Wells, vans can be seen parked either side of the road, only allowing one car through at a time.

One photograph shows the ‘Zipper’ bus struggling to navigate the road, driving between two white vans parked on double yellow lines.

Ely Standard: Peter Wells has expressed his frustrating after witnessing ‘seven vehicles parking on double yellow lines’ at Forehill in Ely.Peter Wells has expressed his frustrating after witnessing ‘seven vehicles parking on double yellow lines’ at Forehill in Ely. (Image: Peter Wells)

Councillor Anna Bailey, leader of East Cambridgeshire District Council, seems to share Mr Wells’ frustration, slamming the “selfish behaviour”.

“I am as heartily sick of this anti-social, illegal, selfish behaviour as Peter and many other local residents, and am working hard to get a long-term solution to the issue in place,” she said.

“I do not want to use the sledgehammer of Civil Parking Enforcement (CPE) to crack a nut, so we are working with Cambridgeshire Constabulary on a solution that has not yet been implemented anywhere else in the country to tackle this issue once and for all.

“We are aware of the particular hotspots around the district, and we want to create a solution which is effective, cost effective and sustainable.

Ely Standard: Peter Wells has expressed his frustrating after witnessing ‘seven vehicles parking on double yellow lines’ at Forehill in Ely.Peter Wells has expressed his frustrating after witnessing ‘seven vehicles parking on double yellow lines’ at Forehill in Ely. (Image: Peter Wells)

“We will be updating residents on the progress that has been made on this soon.”

In October last year, a motion proposed by Cllr Bailey to improve the on-street parking across the district, was passed by full council.

The motion, seconded by Councillor Joshua Schumann, instructed the council engage with the chief constable to discuss dedicated car parking enforcement.

They requested that an update is reported to the finance and assets committee in January 2021.