B&NES council has agreed to work with shopkeepers on Moorland Road in Bath. after they raised concerns about how a new residents parking zone could impact their businesses

A plan to limit parking on a local high street could be changed after the local council agreed to work with shopkeepers who fear it would "kill" the street.

People with a residents permit could park on Moorland Road in Bath under the plan, but people driving to the shops on the street would only be able to park on most of it for up to an hour, with other nearby roads mostly becoming residents-only parking.

A traffic regulation order to bring in the new rules was signed by Bath and North East Somerset Council, with the rules set to come into effect on July 31.

But the rules could now be changed after shop proprietor David Pye, who organised businesses on the street into an association to oppose the parking zone, addressed a meeting of the council and read out shopkeepers' concerns.

Mr Pye has run greetings card and gift shop This 'n' That on Moorland Road with his wife Judith for the last 25 years. He said: "And in that time, we have never known it as difficult as this."

He said: "Its very difficult times, there's no two ways about it and, if the council pursues this, its just going to kill Moorland Road basically."

After addressing the council last month, he was invited by the council's cabinet member for transport Manda Rigby to meet with top councillors about the issue.

Ms Rigby said: "It was 90% a very positive meeting. What appears to be the issue is that the traders feel there aren't enough dual use parking spaces for their customers."

But she added: "Its a real shame that this didn't come up in the consultation."

Mr Pye said: "We are happy that they are coming forward and are prepared to talk to us and listen to us and our worries and fears — because it is worries and fears.

"No parking locally here? That would be a disaster for the shops."

His concerns are shared by traders along the street.

Hannah Turner, who runs the Grumpy Baker cafe across the road said: "[I am] terrified for the future of my business."

She added: "This is very much an errand street so people come here to do their bits and bobs. So if they can't park, they will just go somewhere else."

Andrew owns Park Pets next door to the cafe. He said that many people would need longer than an hour's parking, and that more longer-stay parking bays were needed.

The pet shop owner said: "They are on about putting a couple of bays along at the end of the road. Well that's no good for man or beast."

A new working group has now been set up for local businesses and organisations to work with the council to look at options for the street.

Mr Pye said: "The ideal situation would be to cancel this and rethink, consulting with businesses and residents."

Ms Rigby said: "We are going to come up with some solutions that will be able to please 90% of the people […] We can't say that everything will be as it was before, otherwise what's the point of a residents parking zone."

She added: "We have to get that balance right but I am really confident that there's goodwill on each side to make this work."

She suggested that it could work similar to the recently introduced residents parking zone on Chelsea Road in Newbridge, where there are a mix of bays which allow visitors to the street to park for one, two, and three hours.

She said that four hour bays would be more difficult to police.

Luke Charity works at Francis DIY & Hardware on Moorland Road, and worries the new residents parking zone may make it difficult for him to park for work.

But he said: "I work in another hardware shop [on Chelsea Road] and they put in residents parking outside. Its all dual use so it doesn't really impact us at all."

Ms Rigby said that, although a date has not been set yet, she wanted the working group to have their first meeting in the next week.

She said: "Everyone acknowledges that there is a problem […] and we are working together really quite well to try and solve it."

 Bath & North East Somerset Council

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