BOLLARDS and extra spaces are planned for Blackbird Leys to tackle long-standing complaints about parking on grass verges.

Oxford City Council will tackle the problem as part of a £2m regeneration of the estate.

It will put up bollards at problem verges and create 25 to 30 new spaces on the grass triangle where Blackbird Leys Road meets Balfour Road.

It is also looking at providing more spaces at 10 other locations, including Monks Close, Nunnery Close, Pegasus Road and Windrush Tower.

London design consultancy Alan Baxter Associates put its initial plans to Blackbird Leys Parish Council last week.

Council chairman Gordon Roper said: “We need to get something done straight away to show we mean business.

“The ideas we saw were good. It means losing a lot of green verges, but it’s a catch 22. Do we have green verges or parking?”

Brian Evans, 67, of Blackbird Leys Road, who is disabled said: “I need to park as close as possible to my house because of my disability.

“I can’t always park in the layby so it would be brilliant if we had a proper parking scheme.”

His wife Kathleen, 62, said: “Every day there are at least five or six cars parked on the grass in front of our flat. It is a very bad problem in our area.”

The regeneration, overseen by the Prince’s Foundation charity, was launched in October.

Four walk-in sessions provided a residents’ wishlist of projects, including extra parking spaces.

The money for the project will come from the council’s budget.

Val Smith, city councillor for Blackbird Leys, said: “Blackbird Leys Road is horrendous. There are people rowing and neighbours falling out over parking problems.

“When Blackbird Leys was first built, in a working class area like this no one had a car.”

Project director Trenton Williams said: “We have had initial walkarounds, had discussions with various stakeholders and done parking surveys, and we have identified hot spots such as the triangle on Blackbird Leys Road.

“The next stage is to consult with residents who are immediately affected, probably knocking on doors and talking through options.

“We intend to have bigger public exhibitions later to discuss the whole estate, but the idea is to get some of it done this year.

“We also need to check things like utilities and trees.”

He said that all parking spaces should be created using concrete blocks which will allow rain water to drain through.