Eagle-eyed readers are keeping up the pressure on Merton's parking officials after another council worker was pictured obstructing traffic while trying to catch out motorists.

The picture was taken last month and photographer Karl Martin, associate director at Ellisons estate agents, said he regularly sees Merton Council CCTV vans parking on double yellow lines on Queens Road obstructing buses and other traffic coming to and from The Broadway.

Council workers, including traffic wardens, are permitted to ignore normal parking restrictions while carrying out statutory duties.

The practice has seen angry readers send in scores of photographs of CCTV vans parked in hatched areas or on double yellow lines, sparking Wimbledon Guardian to launch its Parking Madness campaign toplace pressure on Merton Council to act.

Mr Martin, who works at Ellisons in Queens Road, said: "They block the road so cars can’t get along there.

"It drives us crazy because it causes absolute havoc.

"Sometimes they park on the drop kerb on the corner by South Park Road and we have to get them to move to get our car out."

Mr Martin said people knock on the car windows to get the drivers to move on but they are ignored.

Council cabinet member for environmental cleanliness and parking Councillor Judy Saunders said their officers always make every effort to park in places where there are no traffic restrictions and which cause as little obstruction as possible.

Coun Saunders said: "They are legally allowed to park where necessary to carry out their enforcement duties and in this case the officer stopped only for as long as it took to film a parking offence which was causing an obstruction to other traffic in the area.

"As part of our firm but fair approach, our enforcement manual is online so drivers can see our enforcement policy and our parking charter explains what we expect from drivers and what they can expect from us."