RESIDENTS have slammed the 'yellow blips' added to roads in Highcliffe as “another one of the council’s mad schemes”.

Just a few weeks after the ‘no loading’ markings were added to 18 roads in the area, residents have been keen to make their views known.

They have raised concerns over the blips denying disabled access, and their ‘messy’ appearance.

BCP Council said the markings will reduce unsafe and obstructive parking, while improving visibility for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.

See which roads the blips were added to here: Highcliffe: 'No loading' yellow blips added to 18 roads

Resident Lorraine Fountain-Barber said she was “not impressed” by the blips, and claimed it was “another one of the council’s mad schemes” which involved “money being wasted”.

Gillian Parker questioned if the blips would increase safety. She said: “Safety? I think not in the case of some roads directly onto the sea view in Highcliffe.

“There is a particular road flanked on one side by very expensive individual properties and a wonderful sea view on the other side, and as a disabled couple who experience many restrictions to the area’s attractions - Highcliffe Castle with its gravelled paths and lack of ramps - we now have very limited parking along this road."

Lorraine Hill said we shouldn’t need yellow blips to enforce the existing double yellow lines on the roads.

She told the Daily Echo: “No parking should mean no parking at all. If drivers can't abide by the highway code they should be banned from driving.”

Dave Gascoigne agreed to “some of the yellow blips”. He said: “In Jesmond Avenue, which is behind the doctors surgery, there are no yellow lines but people park on the junction and I mean actually where they shouldn’t park - within ten meters of the junction according to the Highway Code.

"They also block the ramps which are used by the disabled so why didn’t they put the yellow blips there?”

A resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “The yellow lines look awful.

“The money for painting these and time spent would have been far better spent on the dangerous damaging potholes which should be a priority.”

BCP Council noted it carried out a public consultation in July 2022 to introduce parking restrictions in the Highcliffe seafront area and received no objections from residents.

Cllr Andy Hadley, portfolio holder for climate response, environment and energy, said: "As advised in national guidance, for their own safety, as well as the safety of other road users, blue badge holders cannot park in these locations.

"The blips have been used sparingly in higher risk locations such as junctions and bends, and there are several other locations across the area where blue badge holders can park safely and appropriately within the blue badge scheme.

“We continue to work with ward councillors and the Parish Council to identify and tackle parking issues and improve travel in the parish.

"Traffic Regulation Order proposals for the bottom of Greenways, where it meets Jesmond Avenue, are being undertaken to help improve safety in that area and were advertised in Autumn 2023.”