Residents told to do their bit to ease parking problems on Yeovil Town matchdays

PEOPLE living on the Abbey Manor and Houndstone estates have been told that they must do “their bit” to help ease parking problems on match days at Yeovil Town Football Club.

There have often been parking issues in the residential areas around the club’s Huish Park stadium when the Glovers are playing at home.

But these problems have escalated in recent weeks with Yeovil Town now plying their trade in the Sky Bet Championship and with bigger crowds converging on Huish Park.

And while football fans have received most of the criticism for bad parking, residents themselves have also been told that they too must park sensibly and use their off-road parking facilities where appropriate.

Liz Glaisher, chairman of Brympton Parish Council, has said that although it was great to see Yeovil Town win promotion last season, the resulting parking issues this campaign have become a “major problem.”

Cllr Glaisher, speaking in the autumn edition of the parish community newsletter, said: “The majority of the cars belong to Yeovil supporters and we would appeal to their better nature.”

But she added: “Sometimes problems are caused by local residents not parking in their allocated spaces.”

Various options are being looked at to deal with the problems – including the prospect of double yellow lines being put down.

But Cllr Glaisher added: “Double-yellow lines are an option – but is this what residents really want, 24-7?”

A working party consisting of representatives of the police, Somerset County Council’s highways department, Yeovil Town FC, the parish council, and county council and district council members are looking to try and address the parking issues which arise on matchdays.

The football club has repeatedly asked supporters to park sensibly and appropriately if they are using the local estate roads around Huish Park.

The club also has parking facilities of its own, but many people prefer to stay away from them to avoid long queues at the end of the game.

Supporters have also been asked to think about car-sharing with other fans to cut down on the number of vehicles descending on the club.

The next test for the Abbey Manor and Houndstone area comes tomorrow (Tuesday, October 1, 2013) when Yeovil Town play host to Leicester City at Huish Park in a 7.45pm kick-off.

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