Bus stuck for hours amid illegal roundabout parking

Vehicles parked illegally on the edge of a roundabout caused a bus to be delayed for hours after it became stuck, leading to calls for action.

The "inconsiderate" parking on the edge of the roundabout on Eastbury Way in Redhouse, Swindon, led to the bus becoming trapped for several hours.

Swindon Borough Council's councillor Daniel Adams said buses needed to "navigate this tight roundabout" and were having "extreme difficulty" because of the parking.

Meanwhile, a council spokesperson warned motorists caught parking inconsiderately could be stopped by police.

Between the cars and the stranded bus, the road was blocked for several hours on Tuesday until a rescue lorry was sent to retrieve it, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Mr Adams added: "When cars are parked on the roundabout, the buses are forced to mount the central reservation.

"This causes a churning up of the grassed areas, leading to deep ruts that have now seen a bus so heavily 'bottomed out' that a tow truck was needed to pull it free."

Mr Adams said he would like to see double yellow lines introduced to combat the illegal parking.

"Having been approached by several residents, I have spent over a year trying to get some remedial works carried out on a roundabout on Eastbury Way.

"I have asked for double yellow lines to be painted within the roundabout to stop people parking there and give the buses the space they need to navigate the junction safely –  but, citing budget issues, the council says this is not something they can look at yet," he added.

A council spokesperson said: "Those who are parking inconsiderately in Redhouse should be aware that it is an offence to obstruct a junction or park dangerously and this can be enforced by the police."

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