A TRIAL residents-only parking zone in Westhoughton is to become permanent in a bid to ease car problems for householders.

Last year Bolton Council introduced the restrictions in Mill Street for people living in a row of six terraced houses.

A layby had been built on the busy town centre road following the closure of the nearby car park on land which the council had been leasing from Silcocks Fairs.

The council had decided to end the leasing agreement to save money and instead created a layby capable of holding five cars. But frustrated householders found the spaces which had been created to help them park near their homes were being taken by people working in offices or visiting the shops.

A residents-only scheme was introduced last year which has been partially successful, although householders claim it is being abused by some people willing to take a risk of getting a parking ticket from a traffic warden.

Resident Rita Hunt said: "My husband is 70 years old and as soon as he goes out he is worried about will he be able to park when he gets back." The residents say they would like clearer signs to warn other motorists that they are not entitled to park there, but a council spokesman said this was not possible as the size of signs has to comply with regulations.

As the scheme is now being made permanent, the residents of the six households entitled to park will keep their free permits but, if they change their cars, they will have to pay £30 for their permits, as will new occupiers of the houses.

The Mill Street scheme is the third residents-only parking zone in Bolton and follows schemes already made permanent in Dorset Street, Bolton, and Marsden Street and Wood Street in Westhoughton.

A council highways spokesman said they were also considering making residents- only parking areas near the Reebok stadium, and there have been requests from other streets in the borough to be made residents-only parking.

"With the growth in traffic we are being pressurised to do more of these," said the spokesman.

"Everyone wants them but nobody wants to pay for them.

"The difficulty is it also passes the parking problem on to other neighbouring streets."