BOURNEMOUTH, like most parts of the UK, is, at present, experiencing a real problem with drivers parking on double yellow lines, shoppers visiting takeaways and throwing litter on the streets and an abundance of dog fouling on pavements and paths of our heathlands.

All can be attributed to irresponsible members of the public.

There are obvious measures and laws to resolve many of these issues, but the difficulty appears to be with their enforcement.

Reasons for this range from insufficent enforcement officers, insufficient police available or the amount of paperwork involved in implementing these measures and being able to enforce the laws.

Unfortunately, during a time of austerity, the government cuts in local services have to some degree not helped with shortages of manpower available to tackle these issues.

Measures taken or being considered by local community groups have included bringing the matters to the attention of the council and the public by media coverage, painting of the dog faeces, letters to takeaway shop owners etc.

Some members of the public will invariably continue to disregard laws or have no consideration for others.

We have situations in some parts of the town where it looks as if car owners are choosing to park on double yellow lines as they know they won’t be charged and therefore these look like free parking zones.

In other areas, takeaway shoppers’ cars are blocking access to and from the road while they visit the local popular takeaways.

The council does provide an abundance of litter bins throughout the town and dog litter bins on the commons and I fully can understand that they are not prepared to provide more and waste local taxpayers’ money if members of the public choose not to use them.

The council also does have regular street cleaning operations throughout the town, but the sources of the problems need to be tackled and not left to fester.

Therefore, I feel that answers need to be found and addressed for these problems at a local level and not just nationally.

RAY WILLS, Chair of ACT Community Residents Association and Turbary Common and Fernheath Valley Heathwatch