TRADERS in a popular shopping street have begun lobbying for a new one-way system to alleviate parking problems.

Many business owners in Hill Road are supporting a petition calling for the whole length of the Clevedon road to be made one way.

Currently, only one end of the street which is lined with mostly residential houses is restricted to allow vehicles to travel in one direction. Those who own shops and businesses along the remaining length are hoping this could be extended to the junction with Marine Parade. They believe this would allow new parking spaces to be introduced along the side currently painted with double yellow lines and provide a solution to congestion caused when vehicles are parked illegally.

Vanessa Mitchell, of La Maison and The Food Market@ Seeleys, launched the petition with her colleague Mary Hadlow.

Vanessa said: “We want to make the whole road one way.

“We are short on parking and people park on the other side of the road illegally anyway. This would stop congestion and would create more spaces.”

Petitions are now available in many Hill Road shops and the signatures will be collated prior to a meeting of Clevedon Town Council’s transport and highways committee on July 24 when traders will speak about the proposal.

Vanessa added: “As well as traders, we have had residents coming in asking for copies of the petition as they say they have been waiting years for this.

“Something has got to be done.”