FOOTBALL fans were again left flummoxed by extra parking restrictions – despite the council saying that they would not be in place.

As reported in the Daily Echo last month, AFC Bournemouth supporters complained after more roads around the ground at Kings Park were coned off than usual.

After that, the council apologised and said the restrictions for the home game on September 15 were “an exception”.

But at Saturday’s match against Walsall, fans again ran into the restrictions. Martin Stevens, from Merley, said: “The whole of Littledown Drive was coned off again. Somebody is giving them the authority to do it.

“Again, you turn up to park at your normal time and the space isn’t there, and you’ve got to scramble around to find one of the diminished number of parking spaces available.”

Another fan, Gary Chapman, added: “Littledown Drive and the surrounding area was all coned off again for the AFC Bournemouth game on Saturday.

“Again chaos ensued – people with disabled passengers were inconvenienced – and the local councillors got their own way again.

“What a great way to deal with public outrage; say it was an accident and won't happen again and just carry on doing it.”

Cllr Lawrence Williams, member for Littledown and Iford, said: “Littledown Drive residents have told me they are worried that on-street match day parking could potentially block the path of emergency service vehicles in their area. In light of these concerns I asked our street services team to put match day parking restrictions in place before the previous home match.

“We received complaints that these restrictions were excessive and so fewer cones were put in place for the September 29 game.

“I want to work with residents on this issue and I have received support from them in the past in favour of this approach.

“The main concern here is the safety of local residents in case of an emergency and I will keep working with them to find the best solution.”