A struggling shopkeeper believes his convenience store will be forced to shut unless urgent action is taken to ease the effects of the new residents’ parking zone in Epsom.

Paresh Patel, 56, the owner of the Mini Store on Church Road, Epsom, on which residents’ parking has not been introduced as it was in other roads in the town centre in June, said he is no longer attracting any passing trade because commuters now park in all four parking spaces outside his shop, all day long.

Mr Patel, owner of the shop for 21 years, said Surrey County Council (SCC) has agreed to paint parking bays with 20-minute restrictions on them outside the shop for his customers to use, but has not given a date as to when this will be implemented.

He said: "There are more people here in the morning looking for spaces now, before one or two of the spaces would be free for my customers.

"We have competition - there are rumours that a Tesco will be built nearby and that another supermarket may come into the old dairy company site.

"We are struggling as it is. If SCC does it in one or two years time it will be too late.  We will have to shut the shop."

Epsom councillor Julie Morris said SCC has said there will be no new parking schemes in Epsom for two years, but the effects of the current scheme need to be reviewed much earlier so changes can be made to relieve the "chaos caused elsewhere".

A SCC spokeswoman said: "We are reviewing how the residents’ parking schemes in Epsom work and listening to feedback from residents and businesses.

"We may suggest minor changes in a report to the local committee [of Epsom and Ewell] in September, which could help the schemes work better."

What do you think about the residents' parking zone in Epsom?  Contact Hardeep Matharu on the newsdesk on 0208 722 6346, email hmatharu@london.newsquest.co.uk or leave a comment below. 

 

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