YELLOW lines are in for a brush-up in Dorchester to stop motorists getting away with illegal parking.

Dorset County Council's audit and scrutiny committee agreed to tighten up on parking restrictions after hearing that faded road markings mean parking attendants cannot issue fines in some parts of the town.

Members backed a report presented by county transportation manager Tim Westwood that called for £20,000 from the annual maintenance budget to catch up on repainting of lines.

His report followed a request for the situation to be looked at by committee chairman Trevor Jones after he saw a parking attendant unable to issue a penalty charge notice on an illegally parked car.

Parking attendants had to include photographic evidence of the way the vehicle was parked - and faded or missing lines prevented them doing that.

He said four towns had been looked at and Dorchester revealed several locations where parking restrictions could no longer be enforced.

He told the committee: "There are some yellow lines that have faded in part and would not be enforceable. Some places like Cornwall Road are where people just don't park anyway but they will be dealt with.

"Parking attendants are in the best place to notice and report back to their supervisor.

"We want the team to deal with problems within eight weeks."

He said they would focus on all lines and signs connected with parking enforcement such as white-lined parking bays and plates used for residents' parking schemes. Mr Westwood said fading was not the only factor in Dorchester - missing stretches of lines caused by road repairs and damage caused by heavy lorries also caused problems.

He said he was also working on establishing a radio link system between parking attendants - who took over from the former traffic warden arrangements - and the police.

Members asked for an update on the situation in six months.