A business owner has raised the alarm after traffic wardens launched a new manoeuvre against illegal parkers.

The Front Street business owner said he was issued a ticket on his illegally parked truck and the traffic warden came in to his store and told him she was going to ticket him again if he did not move it.

He said the warden told him they would now issue tickets at the rate of one an hour for illegally parked vehicles, whereas only one ticket would have been issued before.

Yesterday a Police spokeswoman confirmed traffic wardens were enforcing the traffic laws, particularly in regard to parking vouchers and parking violations.

The spokeswoman said: "It has been the common practice of some drivers that, after having received a ticket for illegal parking, including parking beyond the allotted time on the parking voucher, the vehicle is then left in situ for the reminder of the day with the ticket in place, presumably the prevailing thought being that the one ticket will cover a multitude of subsequent repeat infractions.

"Needless to say, such thinking is incorrect.'' Traffic wardens have been directed to re-ticket the offending vehicle for each hour it remains in violation of the specified time limit and offenders can thus expect to pay the courts for each ticket received.

The spokeswoman said: "Obviously, while not a popular decision that may illicit cries of foul from the offenders, it is the correct and legal procedure and traffic wardens will continue to enforce it.'' Police have advised members of the motoring public to comply with the traffic regulations as required by law and said: "It's easier to pay for a voucher than it is to pay for a fine.''