DRIVERS are being warned to watch where they park after nearly 200 were ticketed near Coombe Abbey Country Park.
Police received a number of calls reporting vehicles illegally parked on the road and grass verges along Brinklow Road, near the popular country park, on Sunday April 9.
Officers attended and at about 3.30pm made the decision to close the entrance to the park – before issuing fixed penalty notices of £30.
PC Stuart Baker, beat manager for Rugby Rural North, said: “The warm weather meant that visitor numbers were very high and the car parks were soon full.
“As a result drivers were parking all along Brinklow Road both towards Brinklow village and in the other direction towards Binley.
“There are parking restrictions along this road, which is very fast and has had a number of serious and fatal collisions.
“We closed the entrance to prevent further vehicles getting in, and attempted to move on those who were trying to park along the Brinklow Roadd.
“We obtained evidence of 197 vehicles which were parked along the road in contravention of parking rules, and will now be working with the Central Ticket Office to issue fixed penalty notices to all of those drivers.
“I hope that this is a warning to any other drivers that parking in this way will not be tolerated, and that we will take action against anyone who causes disruption on the roads or poses a danger to other road users.
“Drivers were risking injury not only to themselves by parking on the verges and then walking along the carriageway, but also those of motorists using the road to drive along.
Warwickshire Police is working with bosses at Coombe Abbey Country Park to prevent a repeat of the situation.
