A 266-signature petition has been presented, calling for the removal of a pay and display machine from a Caister car park to stop tourists parking outside villagers' homes.

A 266-signature petition has been presented, calling for the removal of a pay and display machine from a Caister car park to stop tourists parking outside villagers' homes.

Councillor Marie Field, who represents Caister, handed the petition to Councillor Graham Plant before a Great Yarmouth Borough Council cabinet meeting, calling for an end to parking charges at Beach Road car park to ease the situation for residents in Beach Road and Manor Road.

Mr Plant is cabinet member for regeneration and tourism.

The car park charges campaign has arisen because holidaymakers are able to park for free at the cliff top car park in Gorleston and Ms Field has vowed if she is unsuccessful in getting charges removed from the Caister car park then she will fight to get charges introduced in Gorleston.

She said: “If this council gives the Caister residents what they want then they will prove they really do listen to the people and are fair minded. If they don't,

then it really is no skin off my nose.”

On Tuesday, she told the Mercury her petition had achieved better results than expected. She said Caister residents had come to her months ago complaining about holidaymakers and visitors parking outside their homes on Beach Road and Manor Road because they wanted to avoid paying for parking.

“People are getting fed up with holidaymakers parking outside their homes. People have had difficulty getting out of their driveways and garages,” Ms Field said.

The borough council wanted to introduce pay and display at Gorleston cliff top car park recently - a decision approved by the council's cabinet. Barriers were installed and charges were due to be introduced by summer last year, but the borough council backed down following an outcry from local residents and Mercury readers. However, the Labour group, which includes Ms Field, has been battling to get the charges introduced at the clifftop car park. Gorleston borough councillor Bert Collins said the clifftop car park enticed people into the town to spend money.