NEW parking restrictions have been brought into the centre of Lymm as part of an 18-month trial.

Temporary double yellow lines were put down overnight last Thursday on Brookfield Road.

And the plan is they will stay there for the next 18 months before a decision is made over whether to make them permanent.

They have been brought in following long-term complaints from residents over double parking on the road.

However traders fear the move will further discourage shoppers from entering the village, after free parking was reduced to just an hour.

Clr Sheila Woodyatt, a former Mayor of Warrington, is Conservative councillor for Lymm.

She said: “It is a trial for 18 months to see if it resolves the terrible traffic problems round there.

“It is ridiculous at times – people park on both sides of the roads and we have had complaints that it can be impossible to get past.

“It has taken years for the council to do something about it and at long last they have taken action.

“I understand the traders are not happy about it but realistically, short of digging the village up and starting again, we don’t have much choice.

“There is a 19th century road scheme for the 21st century.”

And she said keeping a two hour free parking limit in the official car parks would be a better way of resolving the ongoing problems.

She added: “I personally think the best way would have been to have people pay as they leave.

“Then there would be time for people to have lunch and do their shopping.”