Residents fighting against parking restrictions

A petition to reverse the changes has received more than 2,000 signatures so far

A town's residents are trying to reverse parking restrictions at a retail centre.

New rules at Hermiston Retail Park, in Consett, County Durham, mean shoppers can only stay for a three-hour period and cannot return with two hours.

Consett North councillor Kathryn Rooney said the changes were causing "massive issues" in the town. There are also concerns over how the restrictions affect a car sharing scheme and carers.

The BBC has contacted Euro Car Parks, which manages the site, for a comment. The landowner has declined to comment.

The retail park is home to a number of shops, including Morrisons, Matalan, B&Q and Aldi.

Rooney, who started a petition to stop the changes, said it had "snowballed" with more than 2,000 signatures so far.

"It's causing massive issues in the town. A lot of people are saying they're going to boycott the shops, which is absolutely not what we want to happen," she said.

"We have to protect the shops that we've got and we're going to fight it, hopefully to get this restriction overturned."

Councillor Kathryn Rooney is hoping the restrictions will be overturned

Laura Jane Jenkins, from Derwent Valley Car Club, said the measures affected the club's car sharing scheme.

It is used by drivers and non-drivers alike, with volunteers transporting people who are not able to drive.

"It means that car cannot return to any of these car parks," she said.

"If it's been driven already by a driver member, and they come shopping, then the non-driver member, who maybe only gets out once a week, cannot get their shopping, or what they need, because we can't offer that service."

The 40-year-old added potential fines would go either to club members or Blackhall Mill Community Centre, which the group is part of.

"At the moment, we're having to look at where people are going and that shouldn't be any of our business," Ms Jenkins added.

Watching the clock

Former carer Jeff Jaques, 70, said carers who had multiple people to support could struggle to take them out.

"I think it would be a big issue, because I think a lot of carers... see that they could possibly get a fine, it might prevent them from wanting to take that job," Mr Jaques said.

"You shouldn't have to live your life looking at a clock, wondering whether you can park your car."