PLANS to ease parking problems in Dursley have been met with disappointment from traders in the town.

At a meeting of the Town Centre Car Parking Group it was proposed by the committee chairman, Stroud District Council officer Alison Fisk, that Broadwell car park should become long-stay for permit holders only and that May Lane car park should be long-stay without permits.

It was also put forward that Parsonage Street will become one-hour short stay and the main Castle Street car park be extended from two to three-hour stay.

Traders said they were unhappy with the proposals and that much more needed to be done than just changing parking times.

John Penley, of Penleys solicitors, has sent a letter on behalf of the group to the district council urging them to look at buying up a brownfield site to create a new car park for the town.

"The proposals do not address the problem, we need more space for parking," said Mr Penley.

"Car parking in Dursley has always been tight. We are hopefully going to have more people coming into the town with Sainsbury’s opening and more people living here, when Littlecombe is complete, and that is going to put pressure on the car parking.

"There is no point trying to get people shopping in the town if there are no places to park, it will just drive them away."

Mandy Woodward, of Wildwood Flowers, said the perfect location for a car park has been sitting empty for years and was just behind Parsonage Street, near Boots.

She said: "The land is just sitting there doing nothing, we don’t see why this couldn’t be bought by the council and used as a car park.

"Recently the district council has compulsorily purchased land for the Stroud canal project, why can’t they do the same for a car park in Dursley?"

It has recently been confirmed that the long stay car park in Long Street will remain there for a further year, however this is seen only as a temporary solution as the land is earmarked for development.

A Stroud District Council spokeswoman said: "Following completion of the Sainsbury's development there will be a net increase in car parking spaces in Dursley. The configuration in terms of time limitations is still the focus of discussion with a working group."

The spokeswoman said anyone wanting to take part in the working group can contact town centre manager Vicky Hancock on 01453 549750.