Inconsiderate parking is making the lives of people in sheltered housing near a railway station a misery.

Members of the new Knapp Tenants’ Association at Great Bedwyn claim they are getting little support from their parish council which they say has opposed double yellow lines or other measures.

Campaigner Jan Thornton and tenants’ association chairman Prudence Collett-Jobey were attending Great Bedwyn Parish Council meeting last night in the hope of getting the councillors to see that parked cars are causing problems for Knapp Close residents getting out of their homes.

Mrs Thornton, 53, who has complex health problems said: “The parking spaces in front of the platform are usually filled by half past six in the morning which means the later arrivals search for somewhere, anywhere, to park.

“Part of the problem is that the Bedwyn Trains Group has been promoting the station to keep it open which is commendable but over the last year we have seen the parking problem get much worse.”

Commuters have been encouraged to use a parking area at Great Bedwyn Wharf but that involves a two or three-minute walk along a road with no footpath and over two humpback bridges but drivers hunt for spaces in and around Knapp Close which comprises 38 sheltered bungalows for those aged over 60 and the disabled.

Council chairman Roger Durie said: “Of course the parish council is trying to get something done but a lot of villagers attended our September meeting and voted against double yellow lines by the station because it would only move the problem to other parts of the village that are already congested.”

Coun Durie said talks were continuing with Network Rail and Wiltshire Council to find a solution for the parking problem outside the station.

Commuters clamour to travel from Bedwyn because it’s cheaper than using other stations in Wiltshire. Parking is free at Bedwyn where a season ticket to London costs £4,104 while at Swindon it is £7,024 plus parking; Chippenham £7,816 plus parking; Westbury £6,160 plus parking and Pewsey £5,132 plus parking.”

The cars of commuters from as far away as Calne, Devizes and Swindon clutter the roads in front of the station, where there are only 25 designated parking spaces.

Residents’ cars get blocked in; many have daily carers who have difficulty finding parking spaces and, like visiting doctors, have to walk considerable distances.

Buses to Marlborough and Hungerford find cars in their turning spaces and passenger Linda Hore, 62, who relies on public transport said yesterday: “Nine times out of ten the bus gets obstructed by parked cars.”

Coun Durie said the council was desperate to find a solution that did not force the parking problem elsewhere and added: “We are not ignoring the residents of the Knapp.”