Calls have been made for a new car park to be built on a Marlow industrial estate before safety measures to stop “dangerous” parking are put into place – amid fears the restrictions will shift the problem to nearby roads.

Thousands of drivers park their cars on the Globe Park estate every day as they head to work, but a lack of spaces for employees has resulted in “over-parking”, according to Paul Deriaz, who is part of the Globe Park BID (Business Improvement District).

Last week, the Marlow Free Press reported that a six month consultation on new double yellow lines and new pay and display parking bays was set to take place involving businesses in a bid to tackle “dangerous and indiscriminate” parking on the estate.

In the wake of the revelation, a Marlow businessman who works on the estate has set up a petition calling for a new car park to be built before any parking restrictions are put in place, fearing that double yellow lines will encourage workers to park in surrounding roads instead.

Martin Watts, who works on Third Avenue, says that while more double yellow lines and pay and display bays might go “some way” to stopping inappropriate parking, they will “do nothing to resolve the issue of too many cars and not enough spaces”.

He said: “Adding parking restrictions before a suitable car park has been built will simply shift the problem to residential roads such as The Chase, Wiltshire Road, Gunthorpe Road, Savill Way and Dedmere Road, something that already happens.

“Shifting the problem to residential roads is arguably worse than keeping the issue contained to the industrial estate due to there being more pedestrians and children playing in residential areas, not to mention creating parking issues for residents as well.”

The petition has so far gained more than 170 signatures from concerned residents who live nearby and workers on the site.

Kirstianne Horne, who lives in the town, said: “I'm signing this because it's outrageous to penalise people that work on a business park that doesn't have adequate parking measures in place for the businesses sited there.

“We should address that before charging them or further restricting the few parking options available to them.”

Margaret McCarthy, chair of Globe Park BID said that the consultation may not necessarily take as long as six months, with some proposals set to be submitted quicker due to “safety issues”.

To submit your views on the proposals, contact Margaret at margaret.mccarthy@groundwork.org.uk.