A TRAFFIC warden has not been on patrol in the Vale towns since last Christmas.

Town councillors from Evesham and Pershore now say that motorists realise they can get away with bad or illegal parking and have both called on West Mercia Constabulary to stop the problem from escalating.

Speaking at an Evesham meeting on Monday (April 28), coun John Stych said: "Apparently the warden is ill. When I asked the police what they were doing about it they said 'nothing'.

"Motorists are quite well aware that we have no traffic warden now and they are parking all day in a half hour zones."

In Pershore, bad parking on the town's High Street is leading to traffic queues at all times of the day as lorries try and make deliveries to shops.

Mayor John Grantham said: "The warden only came into town for one day a week, but he would always make it a different day and you noticed the difference when he was there.

"We believe the warden has been off sick for four months and that the police have not got the resources to send a replacement in.

"And of course, when word gets round the town that there's no traffic warden, parking becomes indiscriminate and it's getting worse and worse. We still have huge lorries coming through the town. Bad parking is causing lots of traffic snarl-ups ."

Acting police inspector for the Wychavon area Paul Crumpton, said because of possible future changes to parking enforcement West Mercia Constabulary would not employ more traffic wardens.

He added: "Wychavon District Council is deciding whether to take over the responsibility of traffic wardens or not.

"Any parking issues brought to the attention of police in Evesham and Pershore are taken on individual merits and if there seems to be a substantial issue, then attention will be given to that area.

"There are priorities in policing within these two towns that make parking issues a lower priority."