Lorry drivers leaving their vehicles illegally parked on the roadside overnight have racked up £3,000 of fines in a week.

Shepway council booked 39 drivers in the first week of its enforcement of a new overnight ban brought in at the start of the month.

Traffic officers gave a grace period for the first fortnight of November - with 130 drivers warned.

New restrictions introduced on November 2 make it illegal for lorries to wait overnight - from 8pm to 7am weekdays and all times at weekends - in 19 roads in the district.

It is a nightly occurrence with truckers stopping on the side of the road.

Our reporter counted 11 vehicles parked up on the A20 on Thursday night while returning to Ashford from Hythe.

Lorries were also blocking the road trying to get into a lorry park on the A20 at Sellindge.

Meanwhile others were seen settling down for the night on the A20 towards Folkestone between Stop24 services and Newingreen at Stanford.

"We will monitor this and are prepared to pursue the option of clamping if the problems continue" Cllr Malcolm Dearden, Shepway council

The council says it is responding to complaints from residents about obstruction, damage, noise, litter and waste being left behind.

Most of the 39 tickets were issued at B2068 Stanford North junction (18) while 13 more were issued on the A20 in Sellindge. Each fine is worth £70.

Others were issued in four streets in Folkestone - Cheriton Road, Park Farm Road, Pent Road and Kingsmead.

Cllr Malcolm Dearden, Shepway council cabinet member for transport, said he hoped residents would begin to see a reduction in lorry parking.

He added: “Having given drivers a two week grace period, we are now enforcing the restrictions and issuing Penalty Charge Notices.

"We will monitor this and are prepared to pursue the option of clamping if the problems continue.”

Shepway District Council said it will employ a debt recovery firm to trace and collect unpaid fines issued to foreign registered lorries in mainland Europe.

The council has said it will welcome further suggestions for areas to introduce restrictions.

Email details to traffic.orders@shepway.gov.uk to propose other roads for the council to consider introducing the ban in.