Council plans to limit shoppers to 45 minutes’ parking on Malpas High Street have been branded ‘silly’ by residents.

After years of traffic congestion on the small main street, Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWaC) are now planning to implement an experimental waiting order to combat the problem, which is likely to escalate when 250 new homes are built in the village.

It will mean shoppers visiting Malpas only get 45 minutes’ parking time to complete their shopping between Monday-Saturday from 8am-6pm.

Signs explaining the new rules have been erected in the village but are currently taped over, until the weather permits lines to be painted on to the road.

A CWaC spokesperson told The Chronicle that a parking survey found that, generally, 70% of people only parked for roughly 45 minutes anyway.

But the plans have been met with mixed reviews, with a number of residents taking to Facebook to say the idea is ‘silly’ and that the designated time is not long enough.

One said: “There is very little parking for the residents in the high street so limiting the time to 45 mins is silly! Where are the people going to park that live in the high street? Permits for residents in the high street is essential.”

Another reasoned: “Forty-five minutes doesn't give older people time to go around all the village shops, so something will suffer somewhere – either shoppers or shops.

“It’s a silly idea that will never work and is totally unfair to the residents and employees of the local shops.”

However, there are some in favour of the plans, with one resident saying: “Forty-five minutes is adequate. If people need longer they should use the car park.”

A council spokesperson said: “Traders originally asked for such a parking restriction. We can start receiving views as soon as the lines are painted on which will be as soon as is weather-permitting.

“The situation will be reviewed in six months or earlier and there will be notices about where people can write to and the grounds on which they can object.”

The restrictions are not said to apply to disabled drivers. A meeting is scheduled to be held within the first 4-6 weeks of the implementation, between Cllr Ann Wright, Cheshire Highways and representatives of high street traders.