AFTER complaints from local residents fed up with sixth formers parking in their street, a local school has appealed to Christchurch council to help it out of its traffic jam.

Head of Twynham School Dr Terry Fish is requesting the use of concessionary parking in Willow Way car park for sixth form students and staff who have no choice but to park their vehicles in the surrounding residential roads.

And following the installation of several mobile buildings, which reduced the size of the secondary school's car park, the parking problem has become even worse.

As well as residents complaining over the disturbance and inconvenience caused to them, Dr Fish said that access for emergency vehicles at the school has been restricted, leaving them with no choice but to mark out designated parking spaces on-site.

But this has left around 38 cars without a space and forced to park outside local residents' houses.

Dr Fish is asking members of the community services committee to allow the school free parking in the 64-space car park.

But council officers have recommended the free parking proposal for refusal because 19 spaces are currently leased to the Captains Club Hotel and on Mondays the car park is used by the town's market traders, leaving only seven spaces for the general public.

In a report to the committee, senior engineer Andy Cadle says: "Clearly there is insufficient spare capacity in Willow Way car park to allow any reserved spaces, whether free or not, on a Monday."

He suggests Twynham should be approached to see if it is interested in leasing 25 car parking spaces from the council. Councillors will decide whether or not to approve the application on Wednesday.