CALLS have been made to get rid of bank holiday parking restrictions in Fordington.

Phil Davies, who lives on High Street, is calling on Dorset County Council to get rid of restrictions on bank holidays on the street.

At present parking on the street is restricted to one hour, no return within one hour between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Saturday.

Mr Davies is now calling on the council to exclude bank holidays from this to allow residents to park there all day.

Last year, Mr Davies received a ticket while parked there on a bank holiday and says that traffic enforcement is not necessary on bank holidays but the council see the street as an easy revenue source.

He said: “It’s actually in the Dorset parking regulations – they don’t have to enforce it. There is no need for any special measure.

“All the residents want it to stop. The council are not doing their job properly, it’s got to stop.”

Mr Davies said that his research showed that the only PCNs (Penalty Charge Notices) given out on the day of his fine were in Fordington but Dorset County Council said that its records suggest otherwise.

A spokesperson said: “While we are unable to comment on individual Penalty Charge Notices, the Highway Code tells drivers that unless the sign states otherwise, no exception is made to parking restrictions for a bank holiday. This has always been the case and there has been no change in the law. The county council currently has no plans to review this policy.

“Having looked at our records for May 4, 2015 there were 24 PCNs issued in Dorchester, only 5 of those were in High Street, Fordington. No complaints have been received from residents or other motorists asking for the restriction to be changed to free parking on a bank holiday.

“Nationally, it is becoming more common for on-street parking in towns to now be pay and display rather than free and limited to a certain time period."