INCONSIDERATE drivers are being urged to heed double yellow lines and realise they have been put there for a reason.

New yellow lines have been painted on many roads in Trowbridge town centre but one town councillor fears they are to no avail.

Councillor Steve Squires has now embarked on a mission to see what can be done to make people take notice of the new double yellow lines.

He said: "West Wiltshire only has one traffic warden at present and although the idea is he visits towns randomly, many people know when he is coming.

"Each town needs a traffic warden or the system needs to be looked at and it should be decided whether the money should come through to the town or district councils and who administers it."

He said new pilot schemes which take enforcement away from police and traffic wardens and into the hands of local authorities have proved successful and is calling for a similar scheme in west Wiltshire.

Cllr Squires said: "They seem to be running well there so why can't we have them here?

"People are just taking the mickey at the moment in Trowbridge. Wicker Hill and Silver Street are particularly bad.

"People have become very blas about what yellow lines mean."

Councils in nearby areas have already been looking at decriminalising parking and taking enforcement away from the police and traffic wardens.

In Swindon, council traffic wardens are expected to be patrolling the town's streets by April 2003.

Illegal parking in the town will become the responsibility of Swindon Council instead of Wiltshire Constabulary and the traditional black and yellow uniform will be replaced by a blue council uniform. Money made from the fines given out will provide revenue for the council.