PRESSURE is mounting in Petersfield from campaigners who want special parking for shop workers.

Now the dispute has spread across town as residents of Borough Road have joined in the call for yellow lines on roads surrounding the shopping centre. They claim that shop workers seeking free parking are clogging up the roads.

They have added their voices to the residents in Weston Road who are waiting for parking restrictions to relieve the congestion they say has been caused by people parking outside their homes during the day.

The problem of £800-a-year parking for the townÕs lower- paid shop workers came to a head two weeks ago when Matt Davidson launched a campaign against the proposed parking restrictions in residential roads close to The Heath.

He said he and many other lower-paid workers could not afford pay-and-display prices for all-day parking in the town.

He added that he would be forced to leave his job in Petersfield if the Hampshire County Council restrictions went ahead.

But residents of Weston Road hit back. They said they had called for parking restrictions to stop motorists blocking their driveways and to make sure that emergency vehicles had access to the road.

One resident said the campaign for free parking for shop workers was being spearheaded by the Òsomething-for-nothingÓ brigade.

This week residents of Borough Road joined the call for action.

They say they are suffering even more severely than Weston Road residents as people park in front of their homes all day.

One resident, who asked not to be named, said he counted 48 cars parked all day in Borough Road this week.

He said they were parked opposite the Siward House and Weston House homes for the elderly, making it impossible for their bus to park.

This often meant that the bus parked in the middle of the road, blocking it for all motorists.

The resident added that the road was used by lorries needing access to the Hampshire County Council depot.

Farm vehicles were now also using Borough Road to reach the disinfectant depot.

In addition, the road was used by many parents who took pupils to The Petersfield School each day.

ÒThe road is getting diabolically difficult,Ó he told The Herald. ÒThe people who live here want double yellow lines.Ó

He said he had contacted the police and Hampshire County Council, pressing for action.

Allthough sympathetic to the parking problems facing the townÕs shop workers, he blamed them for the congestion in Borough Road.

This week an unrepentant Matt Davidson, who began the campaign, said he realised there were problems in Borough Road.

He said East Hampshire District Council should listen to the needs of the townÕs workers and provide a specific well-lit, free car park for them.

Mr Davidson said there could also be a compromise with home owners in residential streets to protect their driveways with restrictions, but also leaving some parking space.

He accused EHDC of taking the easiest option to make money by charging high prices in its car parks.

ÒThe town will start to wither as businesses move out because the staff cannot park anywhere,Ó he said.

ÒWorkers, myself included, will seriously consider looking for jobs elsewhere.

ÒWithout workers, the quality of life in the town will decrease as shops shut and residents find it increasingly difficult to shop.Ó

On Monday, 380 spaces will be made available when the new Tesco store opens in The Causeway.

Tesco staff will be able to park free in an area of the car park.

The pay-and-display car park, owned by the supermarket, will be run by the district council who will collect money from fines.