VISITORS struggling to park in Wantage are taking spaces reserved for leisure centre users.

People visiting the historic market town are only allowed to park free in Market Place for 30 minutes or for two hours in the nearby Limborough Road development.

Parking is becoming such a problem that shoppers are resorting to parking their vehicles at Wantage Leisure Centre to avoid paying.

Managers at the Portway centre said dozens of customers had been complaining each day for more than a year.

Carol Booker, 69, of Harlington Avenue, Grove, said she had considered going home rather than waiting for a space.

She said: “The car park is not big enough for people not using the leisure centre.

“I have almost been on the verge of going home. I’ve spent at least ten minutes driving around and around the car park waiting for a space.”

Michael Hunt, 67, of Mill Lane, Lambourn, said: “It is totally wrong that people who have nothing to do with the centre should use its parking.”

The centre, run by charitable trust Soll on behalf of Vale of White Horse District Council, said it had up to 600 visitors each week.

Duty manager Doug Agnew said that since he started more than a year ago, people had been complaining — “Customers are not happy.”

Mr Agnew said the centre could not clamp vehicles because of the district council’s no clamping policy.

He suggested a barrier could be installed at the entrance. Customers using the facilities would be given a token by centre staff which would be needed to leave the park.

A council spokesman said: “We are currently working with the other organisations responsible for car parking issues at the leisure centre and hope to have an effective solution in place as soon as possible.”

Mr Agnew said that of the 75 parking spaces, 36 were allocated to staff and sixth formers at King Alfred’s Community and Sports College, opposite the centre, during the week.

He said: “People park anywhere they can, in the bays, outside the bays, on the corners, on double yellow lines.

“We have coaches dropping off schoolchildren for swimming lessons and sometimes the drivers can’t get around the car park.

“It is getting dangerous. Soon there will be an accident.”

Soll general manager Wayne Hawkins said: “We are receiving dozens of daily complaints from customers who want to participate at the centre, but can’t because of illegally parked cars that are in their way.

“We are worried that customers won’t want to visit the centre any more. We urge anyone who currently parks at the site who does not use the facilities to find alternative arrangements.”

Earlier this year, Wantage traders called for the Undercroft car park in Mill Street, built as part of the Limborough Road development in 2007, to be opened It is not yet known when the 35-space car park, awaiting repair work, will open.