COUNCILLORS are poised to clamp down on parking in a village near Winchester.

A parking committee report has recommended that a range of waiting and parking restrictions should be imposed at Micheldever Station to deal with overcrowding.

The matter was originally considered at a meeting on November 9 but a decision was deferred so the council could consult with the parish council and South West Trains.

However, the parish council have said they are not proposing to increase commuter parking, and South West Trains and Network Rail have no plans to deliver additional spaces.

The station car park is regularly full, meaning commuters are using the roads around the village to park.

Villagers say they are sick anti-social parking especially in Overton Road, causing danger for drivers and even blocking driveways.

James Drewer, of Wonston Lane, Wonston, who commutes from the station, described the situation as, "seriously frustrating."

“The proposed restrictions are going to prevent a large number of local people from using Micheldever Station and force them to drive to Winchester or other stations instead," he said.

"The reason there are problems at Micheldever station is that there isn’t enough parking, the idea that the solution should be to massively reduce what little there is defies logic and will just kick the problem elsewhere."

Liberal Democrat county councillor Jackie Porter said: "Accidents on Overton Road, restricted views from homes, blocked driveways and high numbers of drivers speeding through the road narrowed by the long lines of parked cars have prompted this proposal.

"I strongly believe that the only way we are going to get the train operator to provide more spaces is to 'call their bluff' and restrict parking.

"The village hall has tried to help and has opened up some spaces for commuters, but frankly this just restricts users of the hall which is becoming a risk to the hall bookings, so long-term it probably isn't economic for the hall either.

"It's hard for local commuters I know, but this has to be done for safety's sake. There are spaces for users of earlier trains but still some commuters park in road spaces, often for days."

A decision will made on February 2.