RESIDENTS of a Pershore road they say is being used as a rat-run and to dodge parking charges are demanding action.

Those living in Cherry Orchard, which is subject to an access-only regulation, have started campaigning for the restrictions on the road to be more strictly enforced and for tighter parking rules to be put in place.

A meeting on Monday was attended by 26 residents, county councillor Liz Tucker, district councillor David Brotheridge and PC John Hunter.

Ray Ryder, who lives on Cherry Orchard, said he has had several near misses while pulling out on to the road due to people parking too close to junctions and travelling along the road at speed.

He said: “We had 26 people at the meeting and it would have been more if it was held outside working hours. We have been trying to get the issue sorted for two years.

The parking makes it dangerous to get out of junctions and driveways.

“There have been accidents along the road and I had a near miss a week ago. We would like double yellow lines at junctions and the restriction to be enforced on a regular basis.”

Pershore PC John Hunter said while he tried to educate people about the restriction it was something that required a large amount of manpower.

“I was down there this morning enforcing the access restriction,” he said.

“There are three entrances to the road so it is difficult to know where people have come from. It is never going to go away.”

Coun Liz Tucker said she would look into what could be done to ease residents’ concerns.

“There are real problems on that road,” she said.

“The access restriction is not being properly respected and people are using it for parking.

I understand why the residents are upset.”