FURIOUS residents are calling for urgent action amid claims that traffic wardens are ignoring drivers parking in restricted zones.

People in Dorchester claim some motorists are parking for hours at a time in a restricted area and wardens are doing nothing to stop them.

A residents' parking scheme is in operation on Bridport Road but other drivers are allowed to park in the bays for up to an hour.

However, householders claim that some motorists are ignoring the restrictions and parking for longer than allowed.

And to make matters worse they claim traffic wardens who are based nearby fail to check on how long people are parking for.

Jan Hobbins, who lives with her husband Brian on Bridport Road, said that more often than not she is unable to find a space on the road, despite paying for a parking permit because others are abusing the system.

She said the problem has become so bad that she has been reduced to keeping a diary of the cars parking on the streets.

"I have, due to the ineptitude of the traffic wardens, been reduced to keeping a warden diary. I do have better things to do with my time but when people without permits are parked for four hours and I am unable to get a parking space that I have paid for then I am reduced to these forms of activities," said Mrs Hobbins.

The diary keeps a record of the cars parking longer than allowed and whether or not traffic wardens have been spotted.

"The problem has being going on for a year. The Paul next door sits looking out to see if the traffic wardens are coming by but they never do. We never see one from one day to the next except coming out of their offices, which are virtually opposite and heading into town. Mrs Hobbins said she had even walked into town with one of the wardens who said they had been told that the town centre was a priority.

"It causes me an extreme amount of stress.

"I used to take the car out two or three times a week but I don't go out now because when I come back I can't get a space anywhere along the road. I have even paid to park in the car park in the past because it is such a problem."

Mrs Hobbins, who works at Dorset County Hospital said she did not mind paying for the parking permits but would prefer it if the area covered by the parking scheme was residents only.

"The money we pay should be used to fund extra traffic wardens.

"We may have designated parking areas but due to the lack of policing by the wardens anyone can park here," she said. Neighbour Pauline Nicholass who lives with Husband Paul said she faces the same problems. She said she believed that the problem was widespread across the town.

Mrs Nicholass a care assistant said the traffic wardens employed by Dorset County Council simply just ignored the streets covered by the parking permits. "We are paying for a service but we are not getting it and it's getting worse. The county council may say that the road is patrolled but I have never seen a warden," said Mrs Nicholass.

Tim Westwood transportation manager at Dorset County Council said: "Our parking attendants start their patrols in the town centre as that is where there are more overnight parkers. However, Bridport Road is patrolled on a regular basis, at different times of the day.

"Currently the Dorchester team is short-staffed, but this will change as three more members of staff join at the beginning of next month. Residents' parking is a key issue for us and the replacement staff will directly help this area of enforcement," he said.