The shortage of parking places has overtaken dog mess as the biggest problem in Amsterdam, according to new city council research.

In 1985, almost seven in 10 people said dog excrement was the major issue, but 30 years on, dog mess has fallen to third place. The shortage of places to park a car is top of the 2015 list, followed by people who drive too fast.

Dog owners have got over their embarrassment about carrying plastic bags to clean up after their pets, city sociologist Leon Deben told the Parool.

Social control has also increased. ‘If your dog crouches down, there is always someone who will make a comment ,’ Deben said.

Dog mess is still a major issue in Amsterdam Noord and irritates more people than the city’s average in parts of West, the research shows.

Other major irritants cited in the survey include aggressive behaviour in traffic, youths hanging around and noisy neighbours.