A CHANDLER'S Ford resident says he is paying the price for living in the wrong part of his street.

David Keyworth is having to cough up £70 after parking two wheels of his car on the verge outside his home in Bodycoats Road.

He was unaware that the section outside his house was covered by an Eastleigh Council order banning parking on verges. But if he had driven a few hundred yards down the road he could have parked on the verge without fear of getting a ticket.

Mr Keyworth, a 57-year-old computer systems worker, believes it is a money grabbing exercise targeted at motorists.

He is now appealing against the penalty.

He said "I am not anti-council and I am not in favour of people parking willy nilly.

"But the order does not cover the borough. It does not even cover the whole of my street!

"If they want to protect verges they should do it across the borough. The council cannot be allowed to bring in orders like this where unsuspecting members of the public can be caught completely unawares.

"There are no road markings to draw a motorist's attention to the restrictions and the signs on the lamposts are very small and are hidden by trees.

"A driver could drive most of the length of the road and see cars parked with wheels off the road and decide to follow suit.

"Apparently this order covers a selection of streets scattered throughout the borough of Eastleigh. But the public will be left utterly in the dark about where they are. Unless they are clever enough to get a copy of the order and carry it around with them at all times."

Mr Keyworth said the ticket was put on his car at 6.45pm on a Friday.

He said: "It is surprising that they have got the money to enforce this at this time of night."

He added: "The verges around my home are devoid of grass, not because of parking but because the council has failed every year to clear up huge quantities of leaves from highway trees that kill off the grass."

An Eastleigh Council spokes-man said: "The bright yellow signs identifying the restrictions meet the standards set down by the Department For Transport.

"The council introduced the restriction following complaints from residents in this part of Bodycoats Road and inspections revealed that the verges were badly damaged. Each restriction requires a traffic order and signs. It would be impractical to cover the whole borough. Each of the local area committees are currently looking at problems areas and introducing restrictions where there is the greatest need."