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New council traffic wardens in Powys have been branded "too strict" by some businesses and councillors.
There are claims in Machynlleth, Presteigne and Hay-on-Wye that parking officers are being overzealous, and having an effect on trade.
Powys council said between 1 April and 30 June its CEOs issued 1,522 parking tickets, with 27 of those issued in Presteigne's High Street, Hereford Street and two car parks. The authority has been asked how many tickets were issued in Machynlleth and Hay-on-Wye for the same period.
Dyfed-Powys Police have been asked to provide comparison figures for 2010.
In Machynlleth, the former chairman of the town's chamber of trade, jewellery shop owner Kelvin Jenkins, said trade would suffer. "I question the strict, draconian measures to control parking. It's bound to effect trade. It was pretty easy going before, unless someone was causing a major problem. The fear of parking tickets is bound to serve as a deterrent to visitors."
Machynlleth butcher Will Lloyd Williams said the new parking enforcement system needed to be more flexible.
“Since the county council took over parking they have been more zealous in their approach to enforcement” said John Kendall, Mayor of Presteigne "I went to a football meeting in Llanidloes recently and I heard people saying: "Don't go to shop in Machynlleth because you'll get a ticket." "If people are getting that message then it's going to have an effect on trade."
In Presteigne, there are claims elderly drivers are reluctant to park in the high street for fear of receiving a ticket.
Mayor John Kendall said: "There's a parking period of 20 minutes in the high street. People used to risk it and park for longer, but now this limit is being enforced. People, especially the elderly who cannot walk from the car park, are being deterred from parking in the high street."
"Twenty minutes simply isn't long enough for people to do their day-to-day shopping and we have asked the county council to extend the time limit."
In Hay-on-Wye, the Campaign for a Realistic Approach to Parking has been set up. The group has launched an online petition, and is calling for a residents' parking policy and free parking for residents.
A Powys council spokesman said "We are aware of the claims that the civil parking enforcement officers are enforcing the existing parking regulations in an overzealous manner, but we have received no specific complaints on this issue."
Meanwhile, the council has announced a county-wide review of parking later this summer.
It will look at waiting restrictions in towns, and will take into account views and concerns raised by communities following the introduction of civil parking enforcement in April.
It will look at waiting restrictions in towns, and will take into account views and concerns raised by communities following the introduction of civil parking enforcement in April.
But the council said the review would not address claims that parking officers were too strict.
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