SHORT-stay parking is to be introduced outside shops on a busy Bewdley street to help alleviate problems.

A 60 minute parking restriction will come into force outside shops on the Queensway in Wribbenhall in a bid to encourage a better flow of customers to the area.

Councillor Gordon Yarranton, Independent county councillor for Wolverley, Cookley and Wribbenhall, said he has been working with residents to try to resolve previous issues people in the area had.

He said some had complained that people were parking for long hours there and discouraging other people from visiting the area and using the shops.

A previous proposal to introduce double yellow lines on the Queensway was also rejected.

Councillor Yarranton added that he is now in discussions with the Community Housing Group and the county council’s highways team about improving and increasing parking in the area.

He said: “I have listened carefully to local people and especially to some our more elderly residents and came to the conclusion that double yellow lines were not the solution to parking issues around the Queensway shops.

“These would have a detrimental effect on the shops trading in the Queensway and would deprive local residents of an amenity if they were forced to close.

“In consultation with local traders it seems the problem is mainly down to people who hog the parking spaces for long periods so we came to the conclusion that the solution is to limit the time people can park in front of the shops to 60 minutes to free up parking to those shopping or using the hairdresser.

Kate Williams, who owns the Mirror Mirror salon on the Queensway, added: “Additional parking for the shops is a must – especially for a new business such as ours.”