A RESIDENTS' Association in Linslade is disappointed with a major supermarket for refusing to contribute to its car parking repairs.

Officers at Southcott Village Residents' Association wrote to Tesco a year and a half ago asking for a financial contribution towards the resurfacing of its two car parks in Bideford Green and Grasmere Way, Linslade, next to the community hall.

They considered the request was justified because a large majority of Tesco Express customers use both the private car parks while the store in Coniston Road is open. There is also a greatly-used 24/7 cash machine withdrawal facility.

But Tesco, who made £2.8 billion profit this year, wrote back saying they had no legal obligation to repair car parks that were not their property, and despite further emails and telephone calls from the infuriated residents' association, Tesco refused to respond further.

A press office spokesperson told the LBO that they thought repairs had already been carried out, as a third public car park situated in Coniston Road has only recently been resurfaced along with the street.

A spokesperson for Southcott Village Residents Association said: "We are disappointed that Tesco won't talk or discuss it at all. They could at least come and have a look. We are frustrated by the lack of communication. It's the morality of it all especially from a company who advertise the fact they want to be part of the community."

Quotes to resurface the two car parks have exceeded £12,000 which the association says it can just afford, but want Tesco, whose slogan is "every little helps", to chip in. SVRA and the management committee on the estate have received many complaints from residents about the giant potholes which have appeared in the tarmac surface and they are concerned about accidents waiting to happen.

Officers are now investigating fencing off the Bideford Green car park. The spokesperson said: "We now have to consider a barrier, but we don't want to be a nuisance or make difficulties for the residents. We just want recognition from Tesco as to why we have to resurface. We also have to satisfy our insurance company that we are doing something. Even the Securicor van arrives via the Grasmere Way car park and bumps up on the kerb to get closer."

SVRA now plan to do a survey counting how many of Tesco's customers park at the two car parks and send it to the shopping giant. But Tesco told the LBO yesterday that it had already made its position clear.

A Tesco spokesperson said: "We do not own the community centre or the car park in question and therefore this request falls outside of our criteria for community giving. We did write to Southcott Residents' Association to explain the situation."