A Tower Hamlets councillor has apologised to residents after blocking them into their car park in Poplar for three hours on Saturday evening.

Residents at Birchfeld estate say about 20 people gathered in the car park on Pinefield Close after they were unable to get their cars out after Labour councillor Rajib Ahmed parked a mini cab in front of the gates to the parking enclosure.

They say the East India and Lansbury councillor, who is also a self employed cab driver, blocked their entrance from around 7pm to 22pm when the police attended.

It is understood a resident who needed to get to the hospital to see her sick mother ended up phoning the police.

Another resident, Maria Wall, said: “My sister was visiting from Essex and could not get home with her son who needed his medication for severe allergies.

“He (Ahmed) should know better as a driver and as a councillor who we have voted in.”

Councillor Ahmed this morning told the Advertiser: “I apologised to residents. It was a great mistake and I’m really ashamed. I was parked on a continuous yellow line and the gates were closed, and I didn’t realise it was the car park entrance.”