ANNOYED residents are calling on Darlington Borough Council to ban commuters from parking in their street.

People in the town's Park East Ward say they are being driven to distraction by cars parked outside their homes for eight-hour stretches.

They believe on-street car parking charges likely to be introduced by Darlington Borough Council in June will make the situation worse.

Before the charges are brought in, they want the council to introduce residents-only parking zones in Polam Road, Southend Avenue, Quaker Lane, Oakdene Avenue and Beechwood Avenue.

Disabled Polam Road resident Geoff Taylor said: "In 1994 I wrote to the council about the difficulties of not being able to park outside my own house. I got a reply saying that the council was looking into the possibility of residents' parking.

"Ten years on, we appear to be no further forward, so we're not very happy. We pay a fortune in council tax down here and still the council allows our road to be used as a free car park for all-comers."

Another resident, who asked not to be named, said: "Day in, day out, people from shops, banks and offices in the Grange Road and Skinnergate areas use the street as a free car park."

Julie Caygill, of Polam Road, said: "The problem is there isn't enough parking in town. That means we can't get parked in our own street because of people leaving their cars and going off to work."

Ward councillor Joe Lyonette said about 20 people attended a meeting to complain about the problem.

"You only have to drive around there to know that the area is heavily congested," he said.

"If you live there and move your car in the day for an hour you'll probably find it impossible to get parked again."

A council spokesman could not say whether a residents-only scheme was likely to be introduced. He said a survey had been carried out to assess the problem, but added: "The difficulty is finding a solution that's right for the area, and that is what we are looking for."