Car parks jam chaos
Motorists are being caught up in traffic chaos caused by shoppers and tourists searching for car parks in Kidderminster town centre.
A shortage of signs directing drivers to parking spaces is blamed for the problem. Now large direction signs are to be erected in a bid to ease the congestion.
Signs directing drivers from the ring road to a car park at Weavers Wharf were put up following completion of the showpiece shopping centre.
But while motorists often queue for spaces at Weavers Wharf, traders in other parts of the town say car parks elsewhere have spaces. However, shoppers are not aware they exist because of the lack of signs.
They say only the large blue signs bearing a letter P, like those installed in other towns and cities, will solve the problem.
Direction signs, they say, would also help introduce shoppers to other parts of the town and boost trade.
Peter Picken, spokesman for the Town Centre Partnership, said: "When people arrive in Kidderminster they have to drive around the ring road, and for them to be able to see where parking is available is vital."
"When Weaver's Wharf car park was built they put signs up for that but not for the other car parks."
Wyre Forest District Council's economic development and tourism officer Steve Singleton said: "Motorists have complained that although there are signs to the car parks, they are not easily seen.
"There is now a scheme to erect new signs to direct people to council-run car parks from the ring road.
"The signs are set to go up as soon as possible."
