New road markings near the Darrell's Wharf ferry stop in Warwick have caused concern amongst commuters who have been parking on Cobbs Hill Road to catch the ferry rather than add to rush hour morning traffic queues going into Hamilton.

A new yellow line was painted on the road last Friday and was spotted by commuters when they returned later in the afternoon.

One commuter Debra Saltus said: "I parked my car in the morning and came back later in the day and saw the yellow line. It was quite bright and had obviously just been painted.

"My concern is that the Minister of Transport is trying to encourage people to catch the ferry to reduce the traffic going into Hamilton but now we have lost a minimum of 12 parking spaces, and maybe as many as 18, near the ferry terminal."

She has been catching the ferry since 1987 and said the sudden appearance of the yellow line has caused dismay amongst regular ferry commuters and was the topic of conversation yesterday morning.

In a statement the Ministry of Works and Engineering and Housing said it had placed a number of road markings along various stretches of Cobbs Hill Road to improve safety.

"The markings, which are only at the entrances of residential properties, are a safety and precautionary measure," said the statement.

"In recent weeks residents in the area had voiced their concerns with the Ministry that on many occasions they were finding it difficult to enter and exit their properties due to motorists blocking of their entry ways."

The Ministry has advised commuters that ferry parking is still available along Cobbs Hill Road, albeit further along the hill.