WANTAGE residents have said they need a traffic warden to make sure people park correctly in the town centre.

A discussion about parking on Wantage’s Market Place on social media saw residents discuss the need for better enforcement in the area.

In a Facebook community group, one Wantage resident said: “All of the roads leading into the square have parking restrictions already in place that a lot of people seem to blatantly ignore.

“It is about time the Wantage town council and the OCC got together and paid for a warden and we get some value for money from our rates and to allow safer movement of traffic through the town.”

The comments come two days after a car was parked outside the entrance to Wantage Fire Station, blocking access to fire engines.

Another resident replied: “There are even people parking on double yellows outside a car park offering a free hour's parking? Madness.

“Makes the rounds seriously dangerous, particularly that tight corner from the square going towards the bank and Dominos.”

Parking restrictions in the Vale of the White Horse district are currently the responsibility of Thames Valley Police, not the district council.

Last year, councillors in both the Vale and South Oxfordshire discussed whether they could take over traffic enforcement from the police.

You can read about the two councils’ discussion of traffic enforcement here.

At the time, Lib Dems said the policy changes would mean parking enforcement would be more responsive and would free up police officers’ time to get on with other matters.

Emily Smith, the leader of Vale of White Horse Lib Dems, said: “Oxford City’s parking enforcement is very good, but this has a negative impact on areas like Kidlington and Botley.

“Parking restrictions and having to pay to park at park and rides has displaced parking onto residential streets. It is time to properly consider civil parking enforcement.”