Residents stop plans for double yellow lines in Hotham

The proposals were branded a waste of taxpayers money by those living in the area who pointed out there is no real problem with parking, prompting the council to change its plans.

Hotham-based Ian Harris was left incensed after receiving a letter from the park management team informing him of the council's actions which he felt would be an eyesore.

"At a time of financial stringency it seems absurd to spend thousands of pounds of taxpayers' money on something which is obtrusive and completely unnecessary," he said.

"We are well placed here to view comings and goings.

"Hardly any cars ever pass the 'stop' sign to the carriage drive.

"And the only parking I have noticed are the miniature railway people, when it's running, and the various contractors employed by the council.

"If there is the occasional transgression, this seems a totally over the top and costly way of dealing with it.

"The amount of traffic likely to be met by anyone driving out of the stable yard in the park is virtually zero, and immediately obvious.

"Contractors and council employees using the yard are perfectly well aware of pedestrians, as are we, and as far as I am aware there has never been the slightest suspicion of an accident."

He added the money would be far better spent on fixing potholes around Bognor which he said were in an appalling state.

In a strongly-worded letter to the council, Mr Harris also criticised the level of 'obtrusive notices' warning of the train operating through the park which he also felt were unnecessary.

The council claims that the yellow lines were due to be created in response to concerns expressed to its parks team.

But a spokesman for Arun District Council confirmed it would not be implementing the double-yellow line scheme.

She said: "We had received reports that there was a problem with people parking on the access road to Hotham Park.

"As we are in the process of marking out parking bays there we thought that painting double yellow lines on the road might provide a workable solution.

"However, when we informed residents of our proposal they were opposed to this course of action.

"We listened to their views.

"And, as a result, we will not be introducing double yellow lines at this site."

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