Fenland unites to to tell Cambridgeshire Police that it's time to stamp out bad parking

RESIDENTS across Fenland are united in a common cause - they hate bad parking.

It's topped the poll in Whittlesey, March, Wisbech, Chatteris and the villages in priorities needing to be tackled.

Police compiled this list as part of the `We promised and delivered' campaign, looking at neighbourhood policing.

Chief Constable Julie Spence said: "Every three months the public are invited to choose the issues they would like police and partner agencies to prioritise on.

"We want to ensure we are tackling issues that are important to local people and will endeavour to get the community involved in the policing of their neighbourhood.

In March parking was joined by anti-social behaviour and speeding in a list of priorities.

Officers targeted areas reported as having problems with illegal parking and drivers have been issued with fines.

And in one month alone 14 drivers were fined for not wearing a seat belt and 11 fined for using a mobile phone whilst driving.

In Wisbech, cycling and criminal damage joined parking in the top three of priorities listed by the public.

A police spokesman said: "Officers have patrolled areas highlighted as having a problem with illegal parking around the Old Market Place."

In the villages a poster campaign was launched in several languages to educate cyclists about the rules of the road.

And cyclists have been stopped and warned for cycling on the pavement.

In Whittlesey, Chatteris and Manea it was, again, parking that was a key priority, this time alongside anti social driving.

"Over the past three months officers there have also issued 56 tickets to people parked illegally or dangerously in the area," said a spokesman.

In Chatteris and Manea drivers have been stopped and given word of advice about not exceeding the limit.