COUNCIL bosses are refusing to scrap parking charges on a residential Blackburn street, despite complaints from local people.

A 45-signature petition has been received by Blackburn with Darwen Council from residents in New Wellington Street, in the Mill Hill area of the town.

The petition demands that residents should not have to pay to participate in 'permit parking' schemes.

The scheme was introduced to stop people parking on the street on match days at Ewood Park. Any cars without a permit are liable to be towed away or ticketed.

But the petition states that there is inadequate signing warning people about residents only parking and that 'the problems associated with football fans parking on the street on match days remain.'

In a report to the planning and highways committee, which meets on Thursday, highways officer Nick Hughes says: "We would like to point out that residents only parking schemes are to be self funding in accordance with Government guidelines.

"All signing is in accordance with the guidelines.

"The police do patrol streets and check for people parking on match days. We will bring this up with them when we next meet."