BOURNEMOUTH council’s Parking boss has told a resident who complained to him that parking on yellow lines could be good for road safety.

Parking enforcement head Gerry Bolland claimed that illegal parking could be forcing drivers to slow down and could be “frankly... a good thing”.

The row blew up when Alan Roberts, 60, a full-time carer for his wife, emailed to complain about cars parking on single yellow lines in Alton Road, Wallisdown, where there are restrictions 8am-6pm.

Mr Bolland, head of parking enforcement, replied that the council carried out some parking enforcement there but would not be doing more.

He said in his reply: “If the occasional car is parked where it should not be and this slows down traffic speeds then frankly from a road safety point of view that’s a good thing.”

Mr Roberts, 60, wrote back: “So you think parking opposite a road junction in a narrow road where parking is illegal during those times is acceptable?

“If the illegally parked vehicles were not there... there would be less chance of an accident in the first place.

“You and those under you are getting paid to enforce the law.”

Mr Bolland’s boss, the executive director of environment services Tony Williams, said: “We absolutely do not condone illegal parking and will enforce where possible with parking enforcement officers using their discretion before issuing a ticket.

“Mr Bolland’s suggestion that cars parked in contravention of traffic regulations may be acceptable from a road safety or any other perspective is not council policy.”

Mr Roberts had written to the council asking for traffic officers to visit.

The council said it attended and issued three penalty notices.

The council said no accidents have been reported in the last three years in Alton Road and Priestley Road.

The council has distanced itself from Mr Bolland’s views, which it says are “not council policy”.