Shop workers have spoken out about ‘dangerous’ parking on a notorious zebra crossing in Beaconsfield Old Town as BFP reporters took to the street to find out how serious the problem is.

Despite police warnings that cars that are causing an obstruction will be towed away, vehicles have continued to use the zebra crossing outside Knights of Beaconsfield, on London End, as a parking space.

The BFP took to the streets to monitor the crossing on Friday afternoon and in just one hour, between 12.30pm and 1.30pm, witnessed two vehicles parked on the pavement directly in front of the crossing.

At 12.28pm a black van was obscuring the crossing for at least ten minutes before moving further down the road.

At 1.09pm, a silver Mercedes used the crossing as a parking space for at least 20 minutes.

A black BMW then parked on the left side of the crossing for at least 30 minutes from 1pm, before a blue Honda joined those parked on the pavement at around 1.15pm.

Bucks Free Press:

Andrew Breeze, from nearby Sunflower Framing, said parking on the zebra crossing is a “big problem” and thinks towing the vehicles away has not deterred drivers from using the crossing as a space.  

He said: “We see cars parking on the zebra crossing hourly, every day. The police have been along and towed some vehicles away a couple of times but it has no impact and it is a waste of police time as well.

“Towing will annoy the driver who will have to pay out the release fee but the next person, completely unaware, just comes along and parks there instead.”

Mr Breeze thinks installing a post on the pavement or painting lines on the ground could stop people parking dangerously on the crossing.

He said: “If you know the Highway Code, you will know not to park there, but I think some drivers get confused. They need some sort of cross hatching painted there so people know not to park there.

“It can get very dangerous out there. People in mobility scooters often can’t get around vehicles parked there and there have also been a few crashes and pedestrians have almost been hit because it is a very busy road.    

“It is a continuous problem.”

Terry Lyons, from Hearne’s of Beaconsfield, agreed that lines need to be painted on the crossing to make people aware they cannot park there.

He said: “There are no lines there and I think if they painted lines on the pavement, it would stop the confusion. I think that is what it is needed to tackle the problem.”

Beaconsfield resident Julian Penge, who goes to the Swan Inn, said he often takes it upon himself to make drivers aware of the dangers involved with parking on the crossing.

He said: “Staff here will warn people that their car could be towed. If I see people parking on the crossing I will go out there and tell them that they will get in trouble.

Parking in Old Beaconsfield is a regular problem because it is all common land. There must be a way they can change the old common land regulations.”

In November last year, PC William Ranford of the Beaconsfield neighbourhood policing team told a meeting of the council's community safety committee that they would continue to remove vehicles that cause an obstruction - leaving drivers facing a £250 recovery fee and three points on their licence.

However, he said that if the vehicle is not obstructing pedestrians but is making the pavement “less convenient” drivers can only be given a fixed penalty notice.

Twon councillors on the community safety committee, which met at Beaconsfield Town Hall on Thursday evening, suggested that installing a post or a tree near the crossing could prevent people from parking there. 

What do you think should be done about parking on the crossing? Let us know - call 01494 755 096 or email stephanie.wareham@london.newsquest.co.uk.