MOTORISTS will be nearly eight times more likely to get a £60 parking ticket in Eastleigh borough from the start of next month.

Eastleigh Council is set to take over responsibility for street parking in the area.

Under the local authority's Parkwise scheme, a team of 15 parking attendants will be tasked with patrolling the streets and car parks, helping to keep traffic moving, making roads safer and enforcing parking restrictions.

Until recently there used to be four traffic wardens across the borough. A police spokesman said that two recently found new employment - leaving just two to cover the whole area.

The two remaining wardens will now join the council team.

In the two-week run-up to the October 1 launch, the new team of parking attendants has been attaching warning notices to vehicles contravening waiting restrictions.

Explaining the "softly, softly" approach, the council's executive member for transport and infrastructure Councillor David Aire, said: "Our aim is to draw attention to the increased levels of street patrols that will be undertaken once the council takes responsibility for enforcing parking control after October 1."

But he warned: "There will be a much greater likelihood that motorists who are parking incorrectly will be issued with a parking ticket.

"Regular patrols will be carried out throughout the borough and not just in our town and village centres."

Where necessary, parking attendants will issue penalty charge notices imposing a £60 fine, to be reduced to £30 if paid within 14 days - but the police will continue to enforce other traffic offences such as dangerous parking or causing an obstruction.

Cllr Airey told the Daily Echo: "We are hoping to cover the town centre comprehensively and put greater resources into the village centres and places like Hedge End and West End.

"Village centres like Hamble and Netley have had only limited cover for some time - mostly in the summer.

"There are significant parking problems in the area and I'm hoping we will be able to make a difference and improve the situation."

He said that the council received many complaints about parking, particularly in village centres.

While stressing they did not condone bad or illegal parking, AA spokesman Rebecca Rees said: "As with any new regime, I think drivers need to be convinced that the system is going to be fair."