One-hour parking limit sparks shopping fears

**One-hour parking limit raises shopping concerns**

Pat and Steve Bird worry the new limit could affect people with mobility issues if disabled bays are occupied

A haircut, a coffee, a chat with friends, a visit to the butcher and a quick grocery shop.

For many people, that is what a trip to a local shopping precinct looks like.

But at Weeping Cross, on the outskirts of Stafford, traders and shoppers fear a new 60-minute parking limit could alter those routines.

The restriction is being brought in at a car park owned by the Central Co-op, which says spaces have too often been taken by people who are not using its store.

The new limit has raised concerns among business owners, customers and residents who say the precinct is more than somewhere for a quick shop.

Shoppers often combine visits to several businesses in one trip, pausing for coffee, picking up groceries or stopping at independent traders nearby.

The Co-op says the restriction is meant to make sure parking spaces stay available for customers.

Resident Esmerelda Vaughn said people in the area would be "absolutely fizzing" about the changes.

She said parking was already limited nearby and feared visitors would end up leaving their cars on surrounding residential streets.

Pat and Steve Bird, who regularly go to Bod cafe, said an hour was not always enough for people spending time in the precinct.

Pat Bird said they sometimes depended on the car park when nearby disabled bays were occupied because it was still within walking distance for her husband, who uses a walking stick.

"If you go in there for something to eat it's more than an hour," she said.

Maisie and Esmerelda Vaughn were both surprised by the new signs setting out the parking restrictions.

Traders have also questioned whether the new limit matches the way many people use the precinct.

Becky Whitehouse, owner of Francesco Group hairdressers, said some appointments lasted well beyond 60 minutes.

"It's gone from all-day parking to an hour, it's quite dramatic really," she said.

Hairdresser Becky Whitehouse said some appointments lasted longer than the new parking limit.

But butcher Martin Mottershead believes the changes could have a broader effect than on individual businesses alone.

He said many customers combined several errands into one visit, helping support a range of traders.

"If they're not coming to have their hair done or going into the café for a couple of hours and then saying, 'oh I'll nip to the butchers while I'm here', then I'm losing footfall," he said.

Martin Mottershead feared shorter stays could cut footfall for independent businesses.

In response, the Central Co-op said it owned the car park and had seen vehicles regularly left there by people who were not using the store, leaving spaces unavailable for customers.

The 60-minute limit was intended to keep spaces available throughout the day while still allowing people enough time to shop, a spokesperson said.

The retailer said it did not want to discourage visitors from using other businesses in the precinct and would keep monitoring the new arrangements for any "genuine issues" or "unintended consequences".