FAMILIES living near a Merseyside football club have been told they may be banned from parking outside their homes due to tough new measures set to be introduced.

People living on a new estate close to Prenton Park, the home of Tranmere Rovers FC, claim they have been landed with strict council parking rules they weren’t told about when they moved to the development, which only opened two years ago.

They live on the Mallory Park estate off Ingleborough Road, and now fear being landed with parking fines on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays between 5pm and 10pm, and between 11am and 6pm on Saturdays – even when there isn’t a match.

The decision is subject to a recently-closed consultation, but would mean a no-parking zone with no permits for residents, despite matches and events only taking place once or a twice a fortnight and rarely over the summer period.

Local resident Leanne Docherty is one of those opposing the plans.

Ms Docherty is annoyed that congestion is only an issue on match days, when they say a simple permit system would suffice. She said: “I was absolutely furious when I heard, as this would have stopped me from going ahead with the purchase of the house if we’d have been told this would be the case.

“I did ask the developers and solicitors before buying the house whether there would be parking restrictions for the football, but was told there was no such plan.

“It almost seems against human rights that we wouldn’t be allowed to have any visitors during these times. The majority of residents work full time, meaning evenings and weekends are when they would usually catch up with friends and family.”

Previously the site of Tranmere’s training ground, Mallory Park was built on the old pitches, which the club at the time said were sold to fund new facilities in Leasowe.

The 90-home scheme was controversial after opponents argued that as a memorial ground to 88 former Birkenhead Institute pupils, including war poet Wilfred Owen who died during the First World War, the area around Ingleborough Road should have been preserved.

In September, residents on the new estate received a proposed plan of the Traffic Regulation Order (TRO), saying Memorial Drive and Archway Close would become a no-parking zone during the restricted times.

Residents initially thought the plans must be incorrect, but were told by the council they were not – and meant anyone not parked on a private driveway on the estate would receive a fine.

Ms Docherty said: “During these times we won’t be able to have any visitors, and any houses with more cars than parking spaces will have to find somewhere else to park, somewhere which, because of the local restrictions and requiring permits for surrounding roads, could mean parking miles away from home.”

Ms Docherty said residents would welcome “fair and reasonable parking restrictions, including residents’ and visitors’ permits”.

“We do not have traffic trouble on the estate from the residents and visitors, the only time it can get too busy is when the football is on. So we do appreciate that a scheme should be put in place to stop inconsiderate parking from the fans, however we don’t believe that this should be at the expense of the residents,” she added.

According to Ms Docherty, a scheme like one near Anfield she has been told of that uses ‘permit holders only beyond this point’ signs, would be “much more favourable”.

But she added: “The proposed plan is clearly the easiest and laziest option for the council, the smallest workload for the largest income, without any thought or consideration about the huge knock on effect this would have on the residents and their family and friends.”

She said to add insult to injury, the planned restrictions, set to be enforced once the councils adopt the roads, would actually mean Ms Docherty, a lifelong Tranmere fan, being unable to attend matches.

She stressed it was not the fault of the club, but added: “I have a young toddler and I arrange childcare for when I go to the football.

“My babysitter parks her car outside of my house whilst I go to the match, there is absolutely nowhere else she could park. If she couldn’t park her car there, I’d be unable to go.”

A Wirral council spokeswoman said: “There has been no final decision on whether the TRO along Memorial Drive and Archway Close, Tranmere, will be implemented.

“Residents’ feedback received as part of the statutory consultation which ended last month is being looked at and will be taken into account.”

Tranmere said parking was a matter for the council, not the football club.

Bellway Homes, the site developer, was also contacted for comment.