Leominster has reacted with its own brand of 'people power' to news that Herefordshire Council plans to introduce parking charges in the town, writes RICHARD PRIME.

Fishmonger Denise Pugh, addressing the September meeting of the Leominster Town Council on Monday, confirmed that there had been overwhelming public backing for a petition against the proposal.

"We started the petition on September 8 and I've never known such support. By midday on Monday we already had 2,544 signatures," she said. "And there are still 25-30 shops with petitions on their premises that we haven't yet counted so the number is already really around 3,000. "People are very unhappy. One thing that Leominster has got going for it is its free parking and many traders are worried that this would push shoppers out of town.

"We understand that £20,000 per year will be raised from these charges, but that's peanuts. The feeling is that traders will lose that much in the first two days after charges are brought in."

Miss Pugh reminded councillors that Herefordshire Council leader Terry James had promised the town's chamber of commerce, at its 1998 annual meeting on April 15 at The Talbot Hotel, that there would be full consultation with traders before any charges might be brought in. This had not happened.