PLANNING bosses have bowed to pressure and agreed to introduce extra parking into Wallington town centre – but disgruntled traders believe it is still not enough.

Council chiefs say they will create more spaces on Beddington Lane after shopkeepers complained a road overhaul had caused sales to slump by up to a third.

More than 1,000 campaigners signed a petition attacking Sutton Council's decision to rip 14 parking spaces out of Woodcote Road.

But just days after the shopkeepers' plight was highlighted by the Advertiser, planners backtracked and agreed to introduce four new parking spaces.

However, the plan will need to be approved by Transport for London (TfL) before it can be implemented.

The decision was not enough to silence shopkeepers' anger when council officials carried out an inspection of the site on Monday.

Traders and shoppers interrupted a formal press briefing to tell planning bosses and ward councillor Colin Hall that they still want more parking in the town centre.

One shopper, Jill Balding, 56, of Croydon Road, said: "I've lived here 30 years but if the shops can't afford to stay open I will have to move. We're not asking for the world, just a few parking spaces."

But Mr Hall vowed that no more concessionary parking will be created.

"I firmly believe we don't need parking in the High Street," he said. "We're trying to free up the town and make it more attractive to people on foot and on bike – people who, it has been proven, stay longer and spend more money."

But the trading community has pledged to keep the fight alive in a desperate attempt to stop their sales from falling.

Vic Robinson, who runs shoe repair shop Cobblers Awl on Woodcote Road, said: "We like the paving, we like the project – we just need parking.

"We rely on 'pop and shop' parking – it brings in between 50 and 100 customers a day and that makes all the difference."

Billy Onen, of Rumblin' Tums café on Beddington Gardens, added: "We are all in this together – if you are doing well then we are all doing well. We are a small community and we will not give up."

Mr Hall said the £1.3 million TfL-funded scheme is on target to finish by the end of June.

It includes widened pavements, new benches and seating areas, fresh trees and an overhaul of the approach to Wallington train station.

Mr Hall added: "If in a year's time the traders still aren't happy – we can look again. But I reckon in a year they'll be happy."

Clarification: Our report of May 13 "We need parking to save the town" incorrectly stated that 30 minutes of free parking was now available at Wallington Library. This is a mistake and we are happy to clarify the situation. The free parking in the library car park will start on June 13.