DRIVERS who have lost their parking spaces in The Suffolks said they would support the introduction of new permits.
Many said they were willing to take the £80 hit and shell out for residents' parking permits if it meant they could park closer to home.
A revised parking zone covering most of Montpellier up to Andover Road was introduced last year, forcing many shoppers and workers in the town to park in other nearby roads.
Residents in Ashford Road, Andover Street, Gratton Road and Painswick Road claimed they are being worst hit, as many all-day parkers clog up residential streets there instead.
Ashford Road resident Peter Todd had called for a fresh public consultation to address the issue.
"People are reluctant to pay money to be able to park in their own street, but it has got to the point where they would rather do that than the current situation," he said.
"It is not practical and residents are behind a parking permit scheme. The county council has accepted something needs to change and a consultation will hopefully reflect that.
"At the moment it is stopping people shopping in Bath Road because there is nowhere for them to park."
A group of those worst hit carried out a door-to-door survey to find out what their neighbours thought.
Three questions were asked about parking problems.
Of the households which took part, 84 per cent said parking had got worse since the Zone 8 residents parking area was implemented.
A further 69 per cent would support a permit scheme for residents. A county council- backed petition gathered before Zone 8 parking regulations were implemented collected 2,547 signatures in favour of the new zone boundaries.
Of those, just 79 were from addresses in the area now affected by parking overspill.
"Living in the town centre, we all accept that parking and access for deliveries and contractors will be affected by short-term parkers," added Mr Todd.
"We accept, and indeed encourage, such visitors to the area.
"However, increased concentration of all-day parkers is creating an impossible and unacceptable disruption.
"People now regularly resort to parking on pavements and street corners, just to find anywhere to park, making road and pavement use more difficult and dangerous for everybody.
"Our own survey demonstrates the considerable current depth of concern."
Letters have been sent out to residents by the county council advising them of a public consultation to start next month.
