A “HUGE” parking problem, which has been rumbling on in Ringwood for years, is set to raise its head again at a town council meeting today.

Ringwood Town Council has been forced to close the gates to the cemetery in Hightown Road during school pick-up and drop-off times due to some parents parking in its 30-space car park, following a similar action two years ago.

Ringwood town clerk Terry Simpson said: “When school starts and finishes we’re having to close the gates to the cemetery car park again. Parents dropping off children do tend to stay a long while there and we’ve received comments that children are running across the graves, which many cemetery visitors don’t feel is appropriate.

“Even if we kept them open, there still would not be anywhere for cemetery-users to park because most of the spaces are taken by waiting parents.

“It’s a huge problem because Hightown Road was built when there were not as many cars on the road.”

Town councillors will tonight hear a progress report on a safe crossing place from Victoria Gardens to Hightown Road, which will enable more children to walk safely to school. Local resident Celia Marker said: “Locking the gates has made the problem even worse. It’s just pushed the cars out onto the road. If the emergency services had to get down the road, they’d find it difficult.”

New Forest District Council says it an enforcement officer has been in Hightown Road 53 times since April with three penalty charge notices issued throughout September.

It also says areas including Hightown Road will be targeted as often as possible although they cannot promise an officer will be present every afternoon.

A spokesman for Ringwood Junior School said: “The school has worked closely with the county council, town council, police, parents and the community to resolve this issue. A voluntary one-way system has been in operation for years with parents to alleviate congestion.”

The school had tried to encourage alternative ways of reaching school, asked for a crossing patrol on the corner of Parsonage Barn Lane and was building a playground shelter for parents and children.

“The school repeatedly asks parents to respect residents and cemetery users but the action of anyone outside of the school grounds is completely outside the school’s control and a matter for the local authorities.”

More Ringwood News