ATTEMPTS to solve town s parking problems have been delayed yet again after North Herts District Council s work was deemed deeply flawed . The Triangle and The Avenue/Chiltern Road areas, near to the railway station in Hitchin, have increasingly suffered

ATTEMPTS to solve town's parking problems have been delayed yet again after North Herts District Council's work was deemed "deeply flawed".

The Triangle and The Avenue/Chiltern Road areas, near to the railway station in Hitchin, have increasingly suffered the effects of commuters' cars parked on the streets.

Residents have been complaining for almost 20 years, yet the council is still stalling in finding a solution.

Its progress has been severely hampered by an ineffective consultation process.

At the Hitchin committee meeting on Tuesday it was highlighted that the council had failed to consult residents properly and hadn't discussed the plan at all with businesses or places of worship.

Only 34 per cent of households responded to questionnaires sent out in the Triangle area, compared to 68 per cent on The Avenue and Chiltern Road.

The council has been forced to revisit the Triangle area, where it hopes to achieve more effective discussions with all parts of the community, including businesses.

It will then be in a better position to make a decision and, if agreed, begin traffic regulation work within the next three months.

The response from residents in The Avenue and Chiltern Road area has, however, satisfied councillors and work will begin immediately.

Ashley Walker, member of the Triangle Residents' Association, said: "On the whole we're quite pleased.

"The fact that The Avenue was delinked from the Triangle was not too important.

"The main thing is that we get the go ahead and that the deeply flawed survey work is redone.

"If we can get the scheme we want, then waiting another three months is neither here nor there."

The council has had to find additional funds to repeat an improved consultation process.