MATCH day parking issues blighting people living near Ewood Park will be looked at.

Regeneration boss Cllr Phil Riley promised Cllr Jacquie Slater officers would look at ways to improve the situation, which is particularly bad when Blackburn Rovers get big crowds, as was the case last Sunday when they played Wigan Athletic in a crunch promotion clash.

The average attendance this season has been 11,757, while 16,142 went to the game last weekend, which was also featured live on Sky Sports.

And with Rovers currently top of the League One table with just 10 games remaining, bigger attendances are expected in the coming weeks as the season reaches its climax.

Fernhurst ward member Cllr Slater had asked if money given from the developers from the Red House development nearby, known as Section 106 cash, could be used to continue double yellow lines along Jack Walker Way on both sides of the road.

She said people had been using the road as a car park, causing problems for people living close to the ground.

But Cllr Riley said Section 106 contributions could not be used for this, though he acknowledged it was an issue.

Cllr Slater said: “Could we please use the Section 106 money from the Red House development to continue the double yellow lines all the way along Jack Walker Way on both sides of the road?

“This is due to the fact that on match days it is being used as a car park and making life difficult for our residents.

“We feel that this would be a good use of the money, which should be spent in our ward.”

Cllr Riley replied: “Parking issues are certainly monitored and some of us are absolutely delighted Rovers are starting to attract big crowds.

“We are going to look to address this over the coming weeks because some of us are hoping this is going to be an ongoing problem when we get promotion.”

Cllr Slater asked if traffic enforcement officers could be deployed to book cars parking dangerously or illegally to help ease the situation.

Cllr Riley said: “We are not unaware that there is an issue on days like Sunday when there was a big crowd. That is a good suggestion.”

People living around Ewood Park admitted the streets near the ground are packed on match days.

One man, who asked not to be named, said the estates just off Jack Walker Way were jam-packed.

He said: “Jack Walker Way is not a problem particularly, although generally on match days you don’t tend to go out.

“The big issue is that people come into the estates here as well. They tend to park in front of houses all the way to the main road. It can be quite intrusive. It’s packed solid and if you came here on Saturday at 3pm, you wouldn’t be able to move for cars.

“If an ambulance had to get through, I’m not sure it would be able to.

“There’s a balance to be had. People want to go to a football match and provided they don’t park across driveways or block emergency services, I don’t mind.”

Darren Walsh said: “I have no objection to people parking (on Jack Walker Way). If you live up here, you expect people to park on match days. The only objection I have is dangerous parking. People park right on the corners and it blocks the view from junctions.”

Mr Walsh added cars parked on the grass verges along Jack Walker Way, causing damage to the turf. William O’Callahan said: “It doesn’t really bother me - it’s one day a week for a few hours.”