TRAFFIC wardens are being criticised - for not handing out enough tickets.

A resident of Chester-le-Street, County Durham, has contacted police to complain that the 1,381 tickets stuck on double yellow-line dodgers over the past year is not enough.

David Halford, of Caragh Road, Garden Farm estate, has worked out that, if there are roughly 300 working days a year, that amounts to just four fixed penalty notices issued a day.

Police bosses point out that with five traffic wardens covering traffic-choked Durham City and the less-congested Chester-le-Street, they can only have one warden in the town at once.

Mr Halford said: "If just four tickets are issued on average per day, then that seems to answer my question about a lack of activity in controlling traffic congestion in this town.

"At any time of a normal day you can see vehicles illegally parked all over the centre of Chester-le-Street.

"Walking from the Garden Farm estate to the town centre I passed seven illegally parked cars on a week day. That is not good enough. If the police force think the taxpayer is receiving value for money then they are very much mistaken."

A Durham Police spokesman said the five traffic wardens covering the Durham and Chester-le-Street division were based in the city.

He said: "Their responsibility is for the free flow of traffic in the town. It is not a case of simply handing out tickets.

"Also, some people are allowed to park on double yellow lines for particular purposes by law and wardens use their discretion in educating, rather than fining, every vehicle owner they come across.

"Generally, Durham City is a priority because of its unique traffic problems, so occasionally, through travelling to Chester-le-Street or whatever, the town may miss out."