Following numerous complaints the Sleaford Neighbourhood Policing Team are launching a clampdown on illegal parking in the town centre.

Community Beat Manager PC Andy Jarvis said: "These vehicles can not only cause disruption and inconvenience to others, they can also be a danger." He said he had come across delivery lorries having to park on pavements because of cars being left in loading bays, cars parked on the zig-zags of pedestrian crossings, as well as problems with vehicles creating obstructions while doing the school run.

The Policing Team currently issues warning notices to highlight offending vehicles and encourage these drivers to change their parking habits. But where problems have persisted, PC Jarvis says that rigorous enforcement will be employed.

Pc Jarvis said the problem has been ongoing for three or four years since the town lost its regular traffic warden and people have become accustomed to parking anywhere and getting away with it.

He said: "The parking situation has come up as one of the main things we have had numerous complaints about from members of the public.

He said: "For the last two weeks we have issued 126 of these little warning notices. Out of these, seven motorists have been repeat offenders and they have had letters.

"I wanted to give everybody a chance to take advantage of the car parks in town and not park illegally, but I have to stress I will enforce it. At the end of the day if I do not have to issue a ticket I will be more than happy.

"If you go into Jermyn Street car park it is empty, but you have cars parked on Southgate. Eastgate and Station Road have an hour's free parking."

The team have already highlighted illegal parking hotspots as being the Southgate and Market Place loading and disabled bays, Eastgate including outside the William Alvey School, Church Lane, Westgate, Westbanks and Handley Street.

The maximum penalty for parking offences is a £60 fine and three points on the driver's license.