University College Falmouth has defended its parking scheme for students following continued concern by local residents.

Inconsiderate parking on Treliever Road, Penryn, and on other roads in the area has caused traffic chaos for some time and students from the college have been blamed.

One resident from Treliever Road, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Packet: "We already have to suffer large volumes of traffic, including buses and lorries thundering past our doors all day and now we find we are becoming a car park for the campus."

Expansion of the Tremough site, part of which falls under the control of the University of Exeter, has been considerable over the past two years and the increase in student numbers has led to an acute shortage of parking space. Students have also been encouraged to use public transport.

A spokesman told the Packet this week that University College Falmouth and the University of Exeter did not condone illegal parking in residential areas around Penryn and had "made it quite clear to staff and students that this is a criminal matter for the police."

"On-site parking at Tremough is limited in line with the conditions of our planning consent. The number of car parking spaces is higher than the amount allowed in Government Planning Guidance, and takes into account the rural nature of the campus. We also have a Green Transport Plan, which sets out the actions we are undertaking to support and encourage people to travel to the campus by public transport, on foot and bike, and to reduce car usage."

The universities also provided subsidised bus travel to staff and students, and actively promoted its use.

"We are in talks with transport providers about further improvements to both the bus and rail services to the campus.

"University College Falmouth and the University of Exeter are committed to working with the local community to address parking issues and take them seriously. We are working actively with the local council and the police on measures that can be taken to reduce the nuisance caused."

The statement added that they understood residents' frustrations but also hoped that they would recognise the many positive benefits that the campus and CUC had brought to Penryn and Cornwall as a whole.

Inspector Mark Eccles of Helston Police said: "We will discuss this issue with the county council and the college. We want to take everything into consideration in order to provide safety for everybody, drivers and pedestrians. We must look into the causes to find the solutions."

In November last year Ron Letcher, owner of the Londis store on Greenwood Road, and a resident of Penryn, set up a petition to address the problem.