PARKING wardens in Worcester are to form hit squads and go around city suburbs in a crackdown on drivers who ignore parking restrictions.

The city council is looking to hit areas such as St John's, Wyld's Lane and around the cathedral in Worcester.

The council is currently drawing up a new battleplan which aims to take traffic wardens out of the city centre more often.

The Guildhall wants to improve the parking service, and thinks sending attendants to locations outside central Worcester will help.

It is also taking on two extra parking attendants to increase the number to 15, and will supervise them more often to cut down on errors.

The Worcester News reported in January how 14,000 parking tickets have been cancelled since 2003 because of warden errors, such as giving tickets for cars parked on broken yellow lines.

The Guildhall will also liaise with County Hall to ensure all lines and signs are properly maintained to help reduce cancellations.

The plans are contained in a new parking charter which follows a three-month review into parking.

Mike O'Grady, head of property services, said: "It is clear that effective parking enforcement benefits public transport users, pedestrians, motor cyclists, cyclists, responsible drivers and other road users.

"The report which stems from our review makes a number of recommendations, most of which are featured in the proposed charter, such as providing safe and secure parking facilities that are clearly signed, brightly lit and competitively priced.

"Many of these things we are already doing but it is important we let the public know that we are serious about our intention to provide a first-class parking service."

The number of cancelled parking tickets has fallen year-on-year from 41 per cent in 2003 to just 20 per cent last year, many because the car owner could not be traced.

City council deputy leader Councillor Barry Mackenzie-Williams said: "The parking charter sets us a standard I sincerely hope we will meet.

"Parking is an area very much in the spotlight, and in having attendants go round to suburban areas, where many drivers get a free ride, it will mean further improvement."

The new routes will be drawn up later in the spring once the new attendants start their work.