The council is under investigation over claims it imposed new parking restrictions near Wandsworth Common against residents’ wishes.

Campaigners accused officials of manipulating consultation figures after it emerged only 40 per cent of residents supported the move.

Investigators at the Local Government Ombudsman have since pointed out the council was “misleading” in the way it imposed the controlled parking zone (CPZ).

Terry Haskey, of Loxley Road, said: “With its lines, posts and parking signs, what was once a pleasant, tree-lined street now resembles a supermarket car park. What makes it worse is the residents didn’t ask for it.”

Rob Taylor, of Titchwell Road, added: “It manipulated the results of the consultation questionnaire, turning our vote against having a CPZ to one apparently in favour. It was a sleight of hand that brought it what it wanted.”

The scheme, which was implemented on March 22, affects Heathfield, Lyford, Loxley, Multon, Ellerton Titchwell, Broad-gates and Frewin roads and Herondale Avenue.

The council sent out consultation leaflets in January last year asking residents in 18 streets whether they would be in favour of the scheme. At the time, the council allegedly said the scheme would only be introduced with the “support of the majority”.

However, in a letter to a resident in February, an ombudsman investigator noted a majority had been reached only by wrongly combining answers to two questions. The first asked whether residents wanted a CPZ, while the second asked whether they would change their minds if a neighbouring street got one.

Richard Barnwell, ombudsman investigator, wrote: “I find it misleading. I am minded to conclude the council could not say a clear majority wanted a CPZ when its questionnaires showed the contrary.”

Despite this, the council has claimed the ombudsman was likely to take no further action after being given assurances over the council’s methodology.

A spokesman said: “He has accepted the questions we ask and the long-standing procedures we use when it comes to determining parking zones are both legitimate and reasonable.”

Residents will be canvassed again in several months time to decide whether the CPZ should stay.