STEPS are being taken to decriminalise parking offences in Redditch, which would allow the council to employ its own traffic wardens to target specific problem areas.

Parking currently comes under the responsibility of the police and its traffic wardens but under the plans, the council would take over.

The council says the the scheme would not cost it anything as it would be financed from the fines given out.

Conservative group leader Carole Gandy said: "At the moment, in certain parts of the town there are yellow lines preventing drivers from parking either all the time or at specific school times.

"If parking were decriminalised, we would be able to employ our own parking attendants who could target specific areas where we know there are problems."

She added: "Many people who live near schools are continually having to tolerate people parking across their drives.

"It's a huge issue and every neighbourhood group meeting we have there are always people complaining about their drives and the roads being blocked. This is something we are trying to do to address the problem."

Mrs Gandy said they would also look at other areas across the county where the scheme was in operation to see if there were any downsides.

"This is something the council could offer to residents at no cost and it would be a huge benefit to people's quality of life," she said.

Council Leader David Cartwright said his party was completely in favour of decriminalising parking and it was in their work programme.