A FIVE-POINT action plan has been drafted to resolve the 'unacceptable' parking problems which have blighted a busy rural road. Hawkshead Lane, in Brookmans Park, has a long history of parking issues, which many residents attribute to students at the near

A FIVE-POINT action plan has been drafted to resolve the "unacceptable" parking problems which have blighted a busy rural road.

Hawkshead Lane, in Brookmans Park, has a long history of parking issues, which many residents attribute to students at the nearby Royal Veterinary College (RVC).

However on Friday, representatives from the college, the police, Welwyn Hatfield Council and the county council met MP Grant Shapps, pictured, to thrash out a solution.

Speaking to the WHT, Mr Shapps described the meeting as "very constructive".

He said: "It was acknowledged by all present that the parking situation in Hawkshead Lane is unacceptable and action is required to resolve the problem as soon as possible in view of the considerable inconvenience to residents, RVC staff and students and passers-by."

Mr Shapps, from Brookmans Park, added: "I wanted to get this meeting together with all the right people around the table in order to resolve one of the main issues, which was that everyone shared some responsibility, but that no one could fix the problem without greater coordination."

Under proposals agreed at the meeting, the RVC will prepare a green travel plan and submit a planning application for 150 extra car parking spaces on the site.

An application for a clearway order will also be made, and both the RVC and the police agreed to help enforce responsible parking when these new measures are introduced.