Cornwall Council have requested drivers 'park considerately' after a bus was held up in Penryn earlier this week, trapping some residents inside their homes for nearly three hours.

In what has become a regular occurrence, cars parked on the narrow streets of Penryn have caused blockages for public transport, leading to further congestion and trapped residents.

In light of the recent incidents, Cornwall Council has urged drivers to make sure they are not causing an obstruction to traffic and in particular larger vehicles such as buses and ambulances.

Andy Lambert, who lives on West Street in Penryn and was trapped in her home last week by a stuck bus, said: "There's always been an issue with the buses.

"If we needed an ambulance or a fire engine or the police to get here, how would any of them come through this nose-to-tail traffic jam?"

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In response to the incident, a spokesperson for the Council said: "Drivers can park on roads where there are no parking restrictions in place – such as double yellow lines – and the Council has no legal powers in these circumstances.

"We would always ask drivers to park considerately and make sure they are not causing an obstruction to traffic, especially an obstruction to larger vehicles such as buses, fire engines and ambulances.

"Where vehicles are causing an obstruction to the public highway, the police do have powers to remove.

"We are in regular contact with bus operators in Cornwall who will make us aware of issues on our roads and as buses are fitted with technology to give passengers information in ‘real time’ about when their bus is due, we can review the data to determine if there is an issue at a particular location and, if appropriate, what steps we can take to resolve the issue.

"We are aware of an incident last week where a parked car caused an obstruction on West Street.

"Cornwall Council continues to invest heavily in bus services to support those who may not have access to a car and this road is a key link for bus services that serve the surrounding area."