Crawley residents who could have to pay to park outside their own homes have reacted angrily to plans to extend a parking zone.

The town's current controlled parking zone could be widened to include another five roads.

It means hundreds of extra householders will be forced to pay a minimum of £90 a year to park outside their own houses.

One furious resident of Little Crabtree Road in West Green, Lynne Smith, has six cars in her family.

Her parking bill will be £390.

She said: "It is a rip off. We pay road tax and hefty council tax and now they want more.

"We haven't had any official notification of this yet but it is not going to welcomed by anyone."

West Sussex County Council is enforcing the new zones in Southgate, Northgate and West Green.

Council chiefs are planning a residents' consultation next month but claim the scheme is working well in other areas.

But residents of Crabtree Road - at the heart of the proposed new zone - say the restrictions are just forcing people to park further and further away.

Jean Barrs said: "We have the hospital just around the corner and a large new church and a management centre.

"This is where the cars are coming from. Having to pay to park outside your own home is an absolute nightmare."

Anyone parking illegally in the proposed new bays would be fined £30 on the spot and any visitors would have to display special permission tickets at 20p for two hours.

Robin Daniels, an estate agent, said: "It is a bit cheeky with all the other charges we have to pay to live here.

"But that's the price of living close to a major town centre. It is the non-residents who take up the spaces in the roads but we shouldn't have to pay a premium to park here.

"We ought to park for nothing."

Any workers who want an annual permit can pay the council £200 and park with impunity.

A council spokesman said the scheme will only be extended after a consultation with locals.

But Mrs Barrs said: "I have heard nothing officially about this at all. It has just been rumoured.

"Our garage was put up long before the size of modern cars changed and it's fine to park in if you want to sit in there all night because you can't open the doors."

Friday June 27, 2003