Customers fear new parking restrictions could hurt businesses at Falkirk Central Retail Park

The four hour limit was supposed to come into force back in September.

At the time the managers of the park stated: “From September 5 onwards the management of the Retail Park will be introducing a four hour maximum stay in the car

park. This will be monitored by an automatic number plate recognition system and a ticket will be issued for anyone exceeding this time period.

"If you have any issues with this, please let us know in advance so we can feed this information back to the retail park. Please can we also take this opportunity to

remind everyone that the disabled parking bays are strictly for blue badge holders only."

Now, a month later, signs have gone up referring to the retail park being “private land” and stating “Vehicles may park for a maximum of four hours”.

The signs also state: “Breach of any term or condition will result in the driver being liable for a parking charge of £100. parking charges are to be paid within 28 days. This is reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days.”

There are fears the parking restriction has the potential to lead to a downturn in business for the tenants of the retail park – which includes Falkirk Cineworld, Nandos and Pizza Hut.

A number of shoppers took to social media to make their feelings known about the new parking time limit.

One angry customer stated: “Instead of helping struggling shops, restaurants and cinema, they are going to shut more of them down. Do they want to make Falkirk into a total ghost town?

"I've never heard anything so ridiculous. These people who made these rules are nothing but total clowns – don't have a clue. Disgusting.”

Another added: "Four hours isn't a long time if you were going for a meal, cinema then the shopping, and with Christmas not far away, shops are busier and it takes longer to get around.

"You can easily be three hours in the cinema, which means either a meal or a film, but not both anymore. Basically, the days of going for a meal, going to the cinema and then doing your shopping are over.

Some people were in favour of the new time limit.

One stated: “The problem is lots of people leave their cars there all day and never use any of the services in the retail park making it harder for people to use the shops, cinema.

“Parking is for the facilities offered in the retail park. It’s not for people to leave them and go to Edinburgh or Glasgow on the train.”

It is not yet known if businesses – like Cineworld – will operate a parking validation service to give motorists more time.

Retail Park management has reportedly taken vehicle registration details from employees of businesses at the park so they can be exempt from the time limit.

The Falkirk Herald contacted Falkirk Central Retail Park owners Corona Vulcan Falkirk Limited for comment on the situation but has yet to receive a response.