TRADERS have launched a letter campaign after a town centre car park was restricted to two-hour limited waiting.

Signs went up at Foundry Street car park, Darwen, which previously had no restrictions, stating that parking is for two hours with no return within three.

But traders in Bridge Street and Bolton Road say the new rules could have "severe consequences" on business. And they want all shopkeepers in the area to send letters of objection to Blackburn with Darwen Council because they believe they were not properly consulted.

But director of regeneration Adam Scott, said: "This action was carried out in response to requests from businesses over concerns that town centre workers were taking shoppers' car park spaces.

"We are therefore somewhat surprised by the adverse reaction. However, we will keep the situation under review."

A letter by Philip Jones, director of The Ink Drop, in Bolton Road, pointed out that nearby Bridge Street was already heavily restricted to traffic, and limited parking at Foundry Street would encourage more traffic to pull up in Bolton Road, which is already too busy.

Mr Jones said: "This decision will result in the closure of shops. Eighty per cent of our products are delivery so we need to be able to park nearby.

"Women visiting the hairdressers will need to park for more than two hours. This is a real worry. There needs to at least be some kind of permit to allow shopkeepers to park during the day."

Steve Higginson, owner of Sagars Menswear, Bolton Road, said: "We were not involved in any consultation. Without the private shopkeepers there's no shops, without shops there's no shoppers and without them there's no thriving town centre."

The traders collected around 50 letters of objection from shop owners and staff in less than four hours on Friday. They were hoping to hand them over to the council today.