Both candidates in the upcoming by-election for the vacant seat on Marlborough Town Council have targeted parking as a main issue.

Steve Pascall, who is standing for the Liberal Democrats, and Martin Houlden, an independent at the general election in May but now a staunch Tory, have both included the evocative local issue in their manifestos.

Mr Pascall said he would support moves for Marlborough town council to control the town’s parking. He said: “At the moment it is a mess. Something radical has got to be done.”

Mr Houlden has gone one better. He has suggested a ParkShare scheme.

He said: “A lot of people who live here actually work outside the town and use their cars to commute to their place of work. We also have a lot of retail and office workers who travel in every day, and need somewhere to park.

“ParkShare is an initiative that hopes to introduce one to the other, so that people who have an empty driveway during the week can rent it out to those who are looking for a parking space in, or near, the town centre.”

The by-election, on Thursday August 19 and has been called following the resignation of Coun Stan Radnedge. The polling station will be at Marlborough Leisure Centre and not at the town hall as previously reported.