FORMER Devizes deputy mayor Albert Wooldridge, who resigned over a parking row at the town's skatepark, says he has now got victory in the dispute.

Coun Wooldridge was upset that Devizes Town Council had not stepped in to stop people who use the skatepark parking in Green Lane and blocking the entrance to the nearby allotments.

But now new kerbing has been put in to stop people parking in an area close to the skatepark entrance and extra signs have gone up to warn drivers they will be reported to police if they block the road. A barrier to stop boarders going straight onto the lane has also been put up.

There are also plans to put in hedging, more kerbs and permanent signs. An unofficial layby will be designated as a turning space.

Coun Wooldridge, who has kept his seat on Devizes Town Council and is also a member of Roundway Parish Council and manager of the allotments, said: "I am delighted this has now been resolved but I don't think it would have happened if I hadn't resigned.

"I don't regret what I did but I am very disappointed that I won't be Mayor next year."

But he said one benefit of his short tenure of his civic post was attending the opening of a new toilet block at the town's archery club at Green Lane. He was encouraged to give the sport a go and found he was a natural.

He said: "I really enjoyed it and I have been back to join the club."

The problem over parking at the skatepark started when far more people than expected in their late teens and early 20s started using the ramps and arrived by car.

Coun Wooldridge said before his resignation: "Since the skateboard park opened we have had major problems getting to the allotment site. The lane gets full of cars and vans making it dangerous for walkers and allotment holders. At times we can’t even get to the allotments.

"When I first set up the allotment site I was informed that no parking would be allowed within the lane. This meant that we had to put a car park within the allotment site at great expense.

"Yet the town council allows the skate board users to block the lane. This can only get worse when the BMX track opens, we have complained to the town council without any luck."

But since his resignation as deputy mayor the town council, Roundway Parish and the Drews Pond Wood group have met and are working on solving the problems.