Cars are gridlocked in overcrowdede street street

Residents and council bosses are gridlocked over parking problems in a congested South Tyneside street.

An increasing number of cars in Gibson Court, Boldon Colliery, are causing parking nightmares for people living there.

Because it is a cul-de-sac many vehicles are getting blocked in.

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Resident Paul Young has contacted South Tyneside Council about the problem, suggesting new parking bays, but says nothing has been done.

Mr Young said: “I was told someone from the council came out to look at the problem and they didn’t find an issue.

“I don’t know what time of day they came out but it must have been a very quiet one.

“We were told there was no funding left for any kind of bays to be created, but the problem is just going to get worse.”

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He added: “You can see on the picture that my car on the left is blocked in.

“When this happens you have to work out who is parked behind you. It’s very frustrating, but it can’t be helped as people want to obviously park near their homes.”

Mr Young said an ambulance called to the street recently wasn’t able to get in to take an elderly resident to hospital.

Another woman, who works as a carer, had to abandon her trapped car and walk to work.

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Mr Young said: “There’s about 22 flats in this street and most people have a car.

“Times have changed, but the layout of the street hasn’t.”

A spokesman for South Tyneside Council said: “While we share residents’ concerns regarding obstructive parking at this location, the council’s Parking Services team and Parking Enforcement Officers have no powers to issue tickets for obstruction.

“This is the responsibility of the police.

“The council can only intervene where there are traffic regulation orders in place.

“A member of the council’s Parking Services Team has responded personally to Mr Young.”