Traders in struggling area fear shoppers will stop coming if cycle lane replaces parking spaces
Furious traders by a busy main road have launched a petition over plans to replace free parking bays used by shoppers with a cycle lane as part of a highways project.
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But business operators in North Walls, Stafford, off the A34 Queensway say the move amounts to the death knell of already struggling trade.
Highways bosses say no decisions have yet been made.
The street has 10 spaces offering 30 minutes free parking which are threat of being removed as part of Staffordshire County Council plans to install more cycle lanes in the town centre.
A petition has been set up by businessman Andy Wheeler who has been running bathroom showroom Plumbits for four decades claims few cyclists use the lanes that already exist in the town centre.
"We have been trading here for 40 years with the car park outside on the road. It's free for the public to use and has 30 minutes free parking.
"Now the county council says they want to remove all the spaces and the flower beds which help the place look nice to lay a cycle route there instead.
"This is an area of the town which is already struggling to attract trade.
"I have nothing against cyclists and I ride a bicycle myself, but this work isn't necessary and we are worried that people will just stop coming to this end the town.
