NEIGHBOURS in a road full of parked cars say arguing over spaces is "tearing" their community apart.

Streets near Elsham Road in Leytonstone were made permit-only last month as part of the Cann Hall controlled parking zone (CPZ).

Elsham Road was not included in the scheme - but this is causing a huge demand for spaces on the road.

Ronald Payne, whose petition calling on Waltham Forest Council to include Elsham Road in the scheme gained 62 signatures, said his children cannot visit him due to lack of parking.

The 67-year-old said: “My wife is ill and cannot go out so my sons and my grand-daughter used to visit us at home.

“But lately they have been coming and because they cannot find a parking space they just drive home.

“My wife and I are depressed now we cannot see our one-year-old grand-daughter.

“We don't have a quality of life anymore.

“I always hear arguments and fighting for parking space outside my house.

“People are frustrated and if something isn’t done there could be a riot.”

The retired London Underground inspector says while he often parks his car in his garage, people park over the double yellow lines outside, blocking him in.

The retired London Underground inspector said he has seen cars parked for weeks on end before the owners return.

He said: “There have been cars with Eastern European number plates parked for weeks and when the people came back they told me they were on holidays.

“As soon as one car leaves, another one parks straight away and the road is completely full and it is affecting our lives.”

Akbur Khan, 43, said he and his wife are forced to park three streets away from their home in Elsham Road, meaning their children are often late to school.

He said: “I have three young children and because we can never park on our road anymore we are forced to park far away and it is not safe.

“They end up being late for school and it is not good.

“Sometimes we are driving around for half an hour looking for a space.

“Some people parking on our street and then commuting to work so I think there should be permits on our street to stop this.”

Michael Brennan, 32, said he has seen neighbours who previously got on with each other arguing over parking spaces.

He said: “I was outside painting my front door and I heard lots of shouting.

“I saw two of my neighbours having an argument about a parking space.

“Before, we didn’t have this problem and people were quite happy to live next to each other.

“It is pushing people apart and affecting the community vibe.”

Cllr Clyde Loakes, deputy leader and cabinet member for environment, said people living in Elsham Road were consulted prior to the extension of Cann Hall CPZ.

He said: “The consultation letter sent to residents in these roads in May 2016 warned about the potential for ‘displacement parking’ from neighbouring streets within the extended zone.

“The majority of responses to this consultation were still against the extension of the controlled parking zone in these roads.

“We followed this up with another letter to residents in Cary Road, Elsham Road and Selby Road to confirm that they would not be included in the controlled parking zone extension.

“I have undertaken to see whether we can resource and incorporate a further consultation in the 2017/18 financial year should residents in the area request it.”