Angry Adur council leader Neil Parkin said the county council had put off the scheme to place six NCP parking wardens in the district from September because of "operational reasons".

"The county council says it needs to carry out a review of parking in Adur but currently doesn't have the manpower to do it so the scheme won't now be implemented until January 2009.

"I am angry because originally it was going to be April, then September and now next year.

"We haven't had a traffic warden in the district for more than a year and it is total parking anarchy, especially in Shoreham.

"Drivers know they can get away with parking where they want."

New attendants employed by NCP Services, who have been nicknamed "blue bottles" due to the colour of their uniforms, have been patrolling neighbouring Worthing since last September when powers to issue parking fines switched from the police to the council.

They issued £24,000 worth of fines for illegal parking in one week alone.

West Sussex County Council, which has responsibility for traffic management, is using district and borough council as its agents for parking enforcement.

Mr Parkin said the county council had given Adur the option of managing its own in-house parking enforcement contract but they wouldn't happen until at least 2012 due to funding.

"We can't wait that long. We need the parking enforcement scheme to keep the towns moving.

"It will have a positive impact on trade because often delivery vehicles cannot park near the shops due to cars parked illegally."

What do you think?

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Are you worried about the proposed changes?

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