A SMALL group of Alton residents are to be given the opportunity to have their road made up to an adoptable standard - but at a price.

Those living in Kingsmead, off Draymans Way, have a choice. They could persevere with a road in poor condition and plagued by parking problems or face a bill of almost £29,000.

The money, which would equate to almost £1,000 per household, would be used to bring the road up to an acceptable standard for adoption by Hampshire County Council.

Letters are about to be sent out to residents asking whether they would be prepared to buy into such a scheme.

The quote from HCC highways department follows a public meeting, held in March this year, when Kingsmead householders turned out in force to discuss parking problems in their road.

Because of its status as a private, unadopted highway, those with frontage onto Kingsmead are currently responsible for maintaining the road and for policing their own parking arrangements. And therein lies the rub. With more than one car per household, parking is tight.

Following a cry for help, Alton Town Council set up the meeting with HCC highways officer David Veal to look at possible ways of alleviating the situation.

Local councillors had felt that if the road were to be adopted by HCC, which would require it to be properly surfaced, and was then suitably marked and backed-up by a residents' parking permit scheme, the frustration caused by lack of on-street parking could be eased.

At the meeting, Mr Veal confirmed that HCC would have no objection in principle to making up the road to an adoptable standard and would give all the assistance it could to help residents achieve that.

The cost, he thought, would be in the region of £20,000 which would include a suitable drainage scheme, and he agreed to prepare and cost a detailed proposal so that people would know exactly how much they would have to contribute.

At last week's meeting of Alton Town Council's planning and transportation committee, local councillors heard that the actual cost was likely to be £28,850 which, based on the 30 homes in Kingsmead, would equate to £961 per household.

At the public meeting, Mr Veal had told residents that, in his opinion, to do nothing was not a sensible option, pointing out that at the moment it would be possible to use the existing road as a base.

Should it be allowed to deteriorate further, however, it would require complete reconstruction and would therefore cost more to bring the road up to adoptable standard.

A cheaper alternative, he said, would be to opt for a lesser scheme with a low cost drainage system. The road would not be adopted but would remain in the hands of residents who would maintain responsibility for maintenance and parking. Mr Veal agreed to get a reputable contractor to give a competitive quote for the work.

He also offered to identify the level of financial support HCC itself would be prepared to contribute towards an adoptable standard project.

According to deputy town clerk Greg Burt, while ATC was now in receipt of the estimate for work which would facilitate adoption by the county council, it was still awaiting quotes for a lesser scheme and details of the level of financial support residents could expect from Hampshire County Council.