FRUSTRATED and angry residents who say they dare not leave their cars outside their homes for fear of getting a parking ticket are calling for action today.

FRUSTRATED and angry residents who say they dare not leave their cars outside their homes for fear of getting a parking ticket are calling for action today.

Householders in streets just off Felixstowe seafront are urging councillors to take up the issue - and take action as soon as possible.

Parking chaos has plagued the resort's West End, home to more than 600 people, for more than 25 years.

At one stage, Suffolk County Council and Suffolk Coastal were actively looking at solutions, but a lack of funding and indecision has meant nothing has happened.

Some residents had parked on the yellow lines, which ban parking on one side of the street from 10am to 6pm from May 1 to September 30, without prosecution.

But anger over the problem resurfaced this summer after police - reacting to complaints - issued parking tickets.

Now residents living in the streets, primarily Russell Road, Cavendish Road, Holland Road, Manning Road and the surrounding area, are forming an action group to fight for their cause.

There are three possible solutions which residents want examined:

To scrap the restrictions altogether and allow parking both sides of the street at all times.

Bring in a residents' parking scheme.

Install a one-way scheme with traffic to flow alternately up and down the side streets.

Pam Tuthill, of Holland Road, said: “The restrictions in the area are crazy as they apply only during the hours when residents are at work six days of the week and then prevent us parking outside our own houses at weekends.

“They do not deter tourists as there is nowhere for the tourists to park - there is barely room for us.

“They do not help emergency vehicles as the only two occasions there has been the need for a fire engine in Holland Road in the past 20 years have both been long after the restrictions ended, in the winter and late at night.

“In fact, for nearly ten years I was frequently away from home for between one and four weeks and my little Renault 5 used to stand outside my house for days without moving, but there was never a ticket placed on it.”

There are plans to contact the area's town councillors to have the matter raised at a council meeting or for councillors to meet residents.

What do you think should be done to solve the problems? Write to: Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk>