Parking outside the new High Wycombe leisure Centre will not start to be enforced by the district council until the start of June, the BFP can confirm.

Last week the BFP reported that some users of Wycombe Leisure Centre appeared to be abusing the car parking system, after motorists were seen using 20 minute drop-off zone to park for free for long periods.

And drivers look likely to continue the trend until traffic wardens begin patrolling the area next week.

It was previously was unclear whether the county council or People for Places, the firm that manages the centre, was responsible for enforcement at the spot as Wycombe District Council (WDC) had said that it was not.

However WDC confirmed today that it is in charge of looking after the parking there and said it is aware of motorists parking in the lay-by instead of using the multi-storey car park or the park-and-ride car park to use the leisure facilities.

Spokesman Simon Farr said: “A parking management contractor has been appointed to install signage in the lay-bys and to enforce the drop-off area from the first week of June.”

It is thought an officer will patrol the area and issue tickets to those who break the rules.

While there is a sign clearly stating that the spaces are to be used for drop off only, it does not state how long cars can wait there.

There are reports of both sides of the new road towards Waitrose being completely blocked at busy times such as weekday evenings.