A MORE moderate approach in the way parking tickets are issued in Kesgrave, Martlesham and Rushmere has been adopted by police.

A MORE moderate approach in the way parking tickets are issued in Kesgrave, Martlesham and Rushmere has been adopted by police.

Rather than fining every motorist who creates an obstruction, police in the area have promised to issue warning notes which will be left under windscreen wipers.

However, the note will be recorded and any vehicle found to be parked obstructively for a second time will receive a ticket.

The move has been coordinated by the Three Parishes Together Safer Neighbourhood Team.

Sergeant Mick Richardson, who heads up the team, said: “We need to be fair to all - and that means that if we issued one ticket for unnecessary obstruction we would empty the book of tickets so as to be able to say that we treated everybody the same.

“Because this is such a problem and takes so much of our time, we have changed tack a little.

“This at least means that any other vehicle in the road where the tickets are generated will not automatically get fined unless they have previously been warned - or unless the parking on display is so poor that we have no real choice.”

Sgt Richardson said parking was the single biggest issue which residents raised with officers and the town council, and claimed dealing with the problem had become a drain on resources.

He said the early signs were that the new approach was helping.

He added: “It's working so far in so much as it has raised the profile of the problem.”

Do you think this approach is fairer? Or would you rather see police clamp down on poor parking? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk