Traders welcome double yellow parking plans but Star readers against

While chambers of trade across the county gave a tentative welcome to the Government's plans, a poll conducted on Shropshirestar.com found around three-quarters of people said drivers should not be allowed to park on double yellow lines.

The plan has been put forward by communities secretary Eric Pickles, who believes it will help save struggling high streets. Under the Conservative plans, parking attendants would not issue fines to anyone briefly going into a shop or leaving their car on double yellow lines for up to quarter of an hour.

But motorists would face higher penalties of up to £130 for dangerous parking rather than the current maximum of £70.

Video journalist Nicky Butler asked the people of Shifnal what they thought of the proposals

Sally Rogers from the family business Lawrence Direct in Church Street, Oswestry, said that providing people did not take advantage then a 15-minute parking window would be ideal.

"If people are calling in to pick something up or know what they need then they are far more likely to use small businesses if they don't have to park in the car park," she said.

"We have had to ask a member of staff to carry boxes of stationery items to the Central car park for customers."

Patrick Beech, chairman of Newport & District Chamber of Commerce, said the idea could help trade.

"It's a good idea if there are no parking spaces, as long as it's not obstructing anything," he said. "There are a lot of yellow lines which should not be there anyway. I think it would encourage a bit more trade if people could just quickly pop into a shop.

"But I don't think it would make much difference in a place like Newport because people just park wherever they want anyway and there is no-one there to stop them."

Lincoln McMullan, chairman of Ellesmere Chamber of Trade, said it was a good idea as long as drivers did not park at bottlenecks such as by the Spar shop. "Motorists need to respect other drivers," he said.

Hilary Seward, chairman of Whitchurch Chamber of Trade , said it could be hard to police. "You've got double yellow lines for a point of safety and to keep traffic flowing. If one person stops for 15 minutes and then another it is a perpetual parking space. To me it doesn't make sense," she said.

"Making parking free in town centres in the car parks makes sense. But not encouraging people to park ad hoc on double yellows – we don't have enough enforcement officers to keep it safe."

John Murray, a Wem Town Councillor and owner of The Treacle Mine sweet shop and cafe in the town centre, said: "Providing it's not dangerous and not causing too many obstacles, we need all the help we can get."

However, the idea is not popular with Shropshire Star readers.

More than 750 readers cast their vote on the Star's website, with 28 per cent in favour and 72 per cent against.

Robert Saunders said: "In Wellington you can already park on double yellow lines all day long, even in dangerous locations, with impunity. Wellington rail station car park is a joke with a very large official sign at the entrance with a long list of regulations but car drivers each day park outside the lined designated areas, on the footpath, on the raised kerbs, with no enforcement action."

A spokesman for AT Brown Coaches said: "This idea is complete nonsense. Blocking traffic, especially large vehicles will cause chaos and possibly gridlock."

Ken Adams said: "Although I think the idea is sound, I think it would be confusing. Perhaps instead of double yellow lines we could have some other kerbside indicator."

Wendy Evans who works at Queenie's Cup Cakery in Ironbridge said: "When a customer comes to pick up a big order there is nowhere to park so this would be a big help."

In Shrewsbury, drivers are already allowed to park for free in designated council-owned parking spaces for 15 minutes.