A mother is calling for better parking enforcement patrols after an ambulance was blocked from getting to her house because of an illegally-parked car.

Despite calls to the police and the council, cars continue to park illegally outside Jane Read's house in Church End Road, East Looe.

When Jane's husband was knocked unconscious, after falling down the stairs recently, the ambulance had to park at the end of the road.

'Fortunately there was only one illegally-parked vehicle and we managed to carry him past it to get to the ambulance,' said Jane.

Residents are calling for more patrols from civil enforcement officers after five cars were parked illegally the following day, blockading Jane and her ten month old baby in their home because they could get out of the only entrance with a push chair.

'If these vehicles had been parked there the day before it would have caused a delay of a few vital minutes as my husband was unconscious and struggling to breathe unaided,' Jane said.

'It's not that long ago that Osborne House caught fire and if one house catches fire they all do, so it is a big worry if emergency vehicles can't get through.'

At Looe Town Council meeting on Monday evening concerns were raised by several councillors about new regulations that came into force earlier this year that mean police officers can only deal with illegally-parked cars if they are causing an obstruction.

'When we had a traffic warden and the police were responsible for enforcing parking regulations the area was regularly patrolled and the problem was kept to a minimum,' said Jane.

'People have cottoned on that the civil enforcement officers don't patrol at night, we just get the odd one in office hours.'

PC Helen Libby said: 'The police are no longer able to deal with this enforcement but there is an offence of causing an unnecessary obstruction that the police can enforce if the vehicle is preventing something from happening.'

Illegally-parked cars are now dealt with by civil enforcement officers based in Tolpetherwin, near Launceston, and employed by Cornwall County Council.

Resident Jill Thorn said: 'You ask the police and then the council, but nobody does anything, they pass you on to the other.

'Nobody objects to visitors or people unloading their cars but we don't like people using it as a car park because they stay all night and it is dangerous as well as annoying.'

'There are no back ways into the houses and there are a lot of elderly people and young mothers,' said Councillor Wally Scarah.

'It seems that the police aren't bothered by parking obstructions at all.'

At the council meeting Sgt Bassett said: 'We will look at each individual report, but it has to be a physical obstruction for the police to be able to enforce it.'

Costs

Jane, who has lived in her current house most her life, said: 'It costs residents £300, or more, a year to park legally and there is a long waiting list.

'We don't mind paying but it is unfair when people just park illegally for free.

'A lot are blue badge holders and tradesmen, I do appreciate that blue badge holders may claim exemptions to the usual parking regulations but I didn't think it meant they could cause an obstruction.'

The problem, although worse in the summer, is something both the county council and police are aware of.

A spokesman from Cornwall County Council said: 'We started a review two weeks ago into the parking enforcement operation to see if we can increase levels of enforcement. However, regular enforcement at night will not be included. 

'We are willing to work with the emergency services to target specific problem areas.'

Jane said: 'The holidaymakers that come for one or two weeks say they don't know they can't park there but the signs aren't different here to anywhere else.'

People living in the area have praised the work of local councillors who are looking into parking issues in the area.

Jane said: 'Cllr Edwina Hannaford and Cllr Armand Toms have been so helpful. Nothing is too much trouble for them, they are the only ones who have helped. They have even come up to look at the problem.'

Residents are hoping the County Council's review, which should be complete by Christmas, will highlight the problem with parking in Looe and lead to extra enforcement patrols.