AN ANGRY resident has laid into drivers after claiming that traffic congestion and pollution in her road has left her fuming. Julie Mellor, of Ickleford Road, Hitchin, says the number of vehicles using her road has increased significantly over the last fo

AN ANGRY resident has laid into drivers after claiming that traffic congestion and pollution in her road has left her fuming.

Julie Mellor, of Ickleford Road, Hitchin, says the number of vehicles using her road has increased significantly over the last four years and drivers have little consideration for her and her neighbours.

She said that parking and noise levels have become unbearable, claiming almost 4,000 vehicles use the road each day.

She has complained to North Hertfordshire District Council and presented a petition to the Hitchin Area Committee where she demanded action.

Ms Mellor said: "This has got much worse since the regeneration of Bancroft.

"We feel we are living on a major road. The drivers seem to have lost sight that it is a residential road and when opening your car doors they do not slow down.

"The petrol fumes mean that no windows in the front of my house can be opened and I have to turn my TV up sometimes to drown out the traffic noise."

Ms Mellor believes that one of the major causes of the traffic problems are the new building developments which have sprung up around the area over the last few years. She said that both her and her neighbours want immediate action.

Judi Billing, chairman of the Hitchin Area Committee, said she was aware of the problems surrounding the road and has sympathy for the residents.

She said: "I think the petitioners are looking to the Hitchin Committee to try and work with them to find some improvements and solutions to some of these problems, which of course we will try to do.

"We are aware of these traffic and parking problems - we do all we can at a local level to help residents.

"For example, the new one-way system in the Triangle area, residents' parking schemes, where they were wanted, traffic calming measures, pinch points, speed bumps, lorry bans etc.

"We will work with the Ickleford Road residents to see what can be done to alleviate matters along there without causing knock-on damage to any other roads. I am sure that we can improve on the current situation, and so I have sympathy for them.