FREE parking is to become a thing of the past in two of the few remaining streets in Hereford city centre where drivers can still leave their vehicles for free.

Castle Street and St Ethelbert Street escaped when on street parking metres were installed on the majority of roads inside the old city wall last November.

Motorists can now still park for free on the two streets for half-an-hour – but that is all set to change tomorrow.

Signs warning drivers of the changes were put up on lampposts in the two streets last week.

"This street will be subject to on-street pay and display charges," the notices read.

An implementation date for the new scheme is given as September 10.

Many traders claimed that the removal of free parking had had an adverse impact on trade.

The staff from the Ponte Vecchio restaurant on Bridge Street were among those to speak out and claim the changes to King Street, St Owen Street, Gaol Street and Broad Street had brought about a reduction in the number of customers.

Herefordshire Council did slightly tweak the scheme when it allowed drivers to have the option of staying for two hours.

When the on-street charges were first introduced, motorists were only allowed to stay for a maximum of one hour.