THE long-running saga of parking problems on a busy rural road are at an end, after a car park was finally declared open.

Hawkshead Lane in Brookmans Park has been blighted by congestion for years, mainly due to vehicles left in the narrow road by students at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC).

But all those problems have now been parked with the official opening of a 124-space car park at the college.

Welwyn Hatfield MP Grant Shapps has spent more than three years working for a solution.

In March 2009 he called a summit involving the RVC and its students, residents, the police and the involved parish, borough and county councils – North Mymms, Welwyn Hatfield and Hertfordshire.

They thrashed out a five-point action plan to tackle what was branded the “unacceptable” parking problems.

A �300,000 car park was built and ready for use a year ago – but it stood empty for months due to bureaucratic red tape.

Before the car park could be used, parking restrictions had to be in place in Hawkshead Lane – a situation Mr Shapps called “bonkers” as he called for all parties to get together and sort it out, in a WHT story last March.

But now, finally, the car park is in use, and Mr Shapps was the special guest invited to come and cut the ribbon at an official opening ceremony.

He said: “We finally got there.

“When we first sat down and worked out a five-point plan some people on Hawkshead Lane wondered whether it would ever get completed.

“But the parking situation has finally been resolved, so now residents, drivers and the students themselves are all satisfied.”

RVC prinicpal Stuart Reid said he was delighted the new facility was finally open.

He said: “It resolves many issues and we at the Royal Veterinary College are very grateful to Mr Shapps and all those involved in making Hawkshead Lane a safer place for all who use it.

“In combination with our green travel plan, the car park ensures that our students now have better access to our campus than at any time in our history.”