Changes to parking rules across the Southfields area will come into effect next week to coincide with the start of the Wimbledon tennis championships.

This is in an effort by Wandsworth Council to keep parking spaces available for residents and their visitors and prevent an influx of tennis fans arriving by car.

For the duration of the tournament, which lasts from Monday, July 1 to Sunday, July 14, parking controls will be in operation from 8.30am to 8.30pm every day.

All the area’s existing parking zones will be combined to form one single tennis event zone (EZ). This zone will also include some streets in the area that do not have existing parking controls.

Motorists who have an existing permit for the S1, S2, S3, S5, Q1 and Q2 parking zones will be entitled to park anywhere in the EZ zone.

All households within the zone have been issued with two free-of charge temporary permits which can be used by their visitors. This is because pay and display machines throughout the area, apart from those serving the shops in Replingham Road, will be switched off to ensure that tennis fans do not occupy residents’ parking spaces.

But the council has also warned that these free EZ temporary visitor permits are not for resale and anyone caught attempting to sell them are "likely to face legal action."

Residents are also being advised that some parking bays in the event zone, especially along Wimbledon Park Road, Augustus Road, Victoria Drive, Bathgate Road, Queensmere Road and Princes Way will be suspended for the duration of the tournament at the request of the police. Cars will be essentially banned from parking in the affected spaces along these roads.

Some other roads will also see parking bays temporarily removed and an extension to the hours of the waiting restrictions such as in Wimbledon Park Road and Queensmere Road.

Motorists are also being advised that the parking bays and yellow lines in Revelstoke Road between Wimbledon Park and the junction with Heythorp Street will be in operation continuously throughout the tournament. This means that parking on these yellow lines is not permitted at any time of the day or night and vehicles parked within the bays must be displaying a valid permit.

Any vehicle parked incorrectly over the Wimbledon tennis fortnight is liable to receive a parking ticket and may be relocated.

Different rules apply for parking on housing estates in the area. The housing department provides its tenants and leaseholders with permits and visitor permits which are unaffected by the changes to the rules on parking on the public highway. Anyone who unlawfully parks their car on an estate without displaying a valid permit is liable to receive a parking ticket.