I have tried to visit my parents’ graves several times recently in the afternoon at Ringwood Cemetery and have been unable to access the car park as the gates were locked (Gates closed in cemetery parking row, Daily Echo, October 7). On visiting the town council I was informed that this is because the cemetery car park is filled with unlawfully parked cars of parents collecting schoolchildren. When I visited the other day, not only was the car park locked, but cars were spread solidly along the double lines and zigzag lines in this narrow lane. There was no room for a car to pull in if something was coming the other way.

Any emergency vehicle would be seriously impeded.

I visited the police who advised me they are now unable to issue parking tickets as it is the responsibility of the New Forest District Council (tucked away at Lymington).

The police were sympathetic but told me to get in touch with New Forest District Council. This I did.

I have a response to say that parents have to park somewhere and they cannot have an attendant there all the time (despite the admission that it’s about 45 minutes a day which is the problem).

My father died in June and I am naturally distressed by this and the fact that I can’t visit his grave when I want. There is parking in an adjacent road (much wider and with a walkway through to the school). Why should we OAPs not be able to visit our dead loved ones when we want? And why should the law breaking minority be allowed to do what they like?

Mr Taylor says that every area which has a school has this problem – so does every school get surrounded by cars illegally parked? And what happens when there is an accident? Ask New Forest District Council!

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