Angry bus drivers hit out at police after being booked for parking their cars opposite their work.

The eight drivers, based at the Stagecoach depot in Corn Street, Witney, were given £20 fixed penalty tickets after they parked in nearby Queen Emma's Dyke.

Michael Williamson, who travels to work from his home in Bicester, said the eight were prepared to go to court rather than pay the fixed penalties.

"We are not doing any harm," he said. "There are no line restrictions where we were parking and we were not obstructing anyone, so we are not breaking the law.

"There is not enough room at the depot to park our cars."

Insp Michael Carrick, of Witney police, said the tickets had been dished out following complaints from residents about problems with people parking in Queen Emma's Dyke.

" In one case an ambulance could not get through and there are elderly people who expect to receive regular visits from meals on wheels and health visitors," he said.

"We tried to deal with the matter reasonably through letters, but when this did not work we started issuing fines for obstruction.

"It is the old story of too many cars and not enough road space.

"There is, however, plenty of free off-road car parking in the town."

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