VISITORS to Marlow could be greeted with smooth roads, extra parking spaces and attractive planting, according to the Marlow Town Council.

Buckinghamshire County Council is planning to spruce up the entrance to the town from the Little Marlow and Henley Road causeway approach, a town council meeting heard.

Councillors complained that people were illegally parking their cars on the grass verges owned by Wycombe District Council and were progressively destroying them.

Previously when the town council had enquired about the parking enforcement, the district council said it did not have the manpower to enforce parking regulations.

Cllr Tony Dunn reported that discussions with the county council's area transport officer Mike Knight had produced a commitment in the short term to repair the grass verges, resurface the roads and repaint the road markings to generally make the area more "visually appealing".

Cllr Dunn hoped that the improvement in the area's appearance would instill more pride in drivers and encourage them not to park on the verge.

In the long term the county council is considering installing additional parking spaces near the entrance too.