Airport staff have been illegally parking their cars because they do not want to walk more than a few hundred yards to work, it was claimed yesterday.

Staff have been ignoring the car park provided for them and been parking on the grass verge on Cahow Way, and Marshall Minors of Airport Operations said he could think of several reasons why airport workers had resorted to parking on the grass verge.

One reason was the car park they usually use is now being used by construction workers refitting the Longbird swing bridge.

Mr. Marshall said: "we have asked them not to park on the grass verge but to no avail.'' And he said it was possibly because workers did not want to use the staff parking, located by the freight shed at the extreme east of the airport, as it was a few hundred yards to walk to their offices located at the west end of the terminal building.

Mr. Marshall said: "we are trying to encourage people to assist us by using designated parking and some have done this.'' But he said others had not and sounded a warning by saying: "further action will not be ruled out.'' An airport Police spokesman said: "most people park there as they do not want to walk so far.

It is understood a two-week grace period was held in which people received letters requesting they park in the designated areas, but the request had been ignored.

Police did say however: "The grass verge has no signs that say prohibitive parking,'' and said it was up to Works and Engineering or the Parks department to solve the matter.