INNER city residents are demanding that Southampton Council sorts out their street parking problem.

The situation at Golden Grove in St Mary's has become so bad that one resident has collected more than £600 in parking fines.

Residents have organised a petition against the current restrictions and are planning to help fund a new parking scheme from their own pockets - an idea that city council bosses say they are willing to consider.

Residents used to be allowed to park outside their homes for a two-hour period, with no option to return on the same day.

But soon after the nearby Saints soccer stadium opened in August 2001, the council halved the parking privileges in Golden Grove to just one hour.

It was a move to deter football fans from using the road for match-day parking.

Golden Grove residents claim the tighter restrictions made them easy pickings for parking attendants. Council bosses deny the attendants have deliberately targeted them.

Resident Debbie Wells, 29, said: "No residents have offered to fund their own scheme before and that shows that we are willing to get the situation sorted out. It is cheaper to fund our own scheme than to keep getting tickets."

Council parking manager Stuart Chivers said: "We will consider what they are offering and respond to it. We are quite happy to do that."

Residents are holding a meeting to discuss the next stage of their plans tonight at Albion Towers, Golden Grove, at 7pm.