FED-UP residents are demanding action to tackle parking problems around Hanborough railway station.

The number of passengers using the station has grown by almost 50 per cent since 2005, with 104,000 journeys starting or ending there in 2009-10, up from 70,500 in 2005-6.

Despite an extension to the car park in 2005, which doubled capacity to 50 spaces, the number of commuters now driving to the station, off the A4095 Main Road, in Long Hanborough, means the car park is often full by 6.45am.

Passengers arriving to catch later trains have resorted to parking on grass verges along the road, in a bus stop and in front of homes and businesses.

An action group has been formed by West Oxfordshire District Council to try to find a solution.

Woodstock & Bladon ward councillor Julian Cooper said: “There’s a general problem dealing with the success of the station, with the greater demand there.

“There are about one to two dozen cars parked on verges both sides of the road.”

Mr Cooper said this was causing problems with access for residents and businesses. But he said the council was waiting for an analysis of whether it was a short-term or long-term problem before it made a decision on whether to take action.

He said the planned new rail link between Oxford and London Marylebone, with a parkway station at Water Eaton, could help ease congestion at Hanborough.

Another option being considered is improved bus links to the station.

But he said the council may have to look at providing a new car park.

He said: “First Great Western, which is going to be pushing dual tracking back to Hanborough fairly soon, is quite prepared in that process to provide a bridge across to the other platform. That may produce opportunities.”

Andrew Wilkins, the Hanborough representative of the Cotswold Line Promotion Group, which represents passengers, said: “We would like a car park extension, but I think the main constraint would be the high cost of it. It would be very expensive because of the access and making a means of getting from one side to the other.”

Mr Wilkins said more people were commuting from west Oxfordshire to Reading or London, contributing to the increasing number of passengers using the station.

There are similar parking problems near Kingham station, where a small number of cars have been left on verges by drivers avoiding paying parking charges at the station.

Wooden posts and rails have been put on the verge to stop parking, but this had just pushed the problem on to other parts of the verges which were left unfenced, said residents.

Danielle Hilton, communications officer for West Oxfordshire Safer Communities Partnership, said: “Where necessary, penalty tickets will be issued and in particular we will ensure that vehicles do not obstruct pavements and entran-ces.”

But cars are likely to continue parking on the verges, with police admitting the landowner had not complained. Without a complaint, police cannot move cars on.