TRADERS and residents have convened a crisis meeting to combat dangerous parking because of new road layouts.

Since new lampposts were installed in the middle of the road in London End, lorries have started to park there to unload. And now car drivers are putting themselves at risk by doing it as well.

Alastair Pike, owner of Capricorn in London End, said he has seen lorries parking in the hatchings between the bases for the new lampposts built in Beaconsfield Old Town as the first stage of environmental improvements.

County, district and town councils are due to meet with the Beaconsfield Old Town Residents' Association and the chamber of trade and commerce and Hall Barn Estates to find a solution to the problem on October 16.

Mr Pike said: "If lorries have got nowhere to unload and they start unloading in the middle of the road, that could be considered dangerous.

"We will have to wait and see what Thames Valley Police's position is.

"On the left hand side going towards Wycombe, there is not now enough space for a vehicle to pull up and unload whilst at the same time allowing a vehicle to get around it without doing a slalom.

"It's so difficult some of the lorry drivers have decided to park in the hatchings in the middle of the road."

Pallet trucks unloading from lorries scoot across the road to the shops, he said, but warned the situation would be more dangerous if car drivers started doing the same. He said he had already seen some cars in the middle of the road.

Sgt Gerry Lister, of Beaconsfield Police, said that he is aware of the problem.

He said: "The road is not wide enough for them to unload because cars park at an angle into the road."

Police will be monitoring the situation, he said.