OVER 100 people have signed a petition calling for parking charges to be suspended at a Redditch shopping centre until 'contactless payment' is implemented.

The petition highlights concerns with the Kingfisher Shopping Centre's coin operated payment system for parking, which is described as being 'hugely outdated'. 

Drivers are also issued with plastic chip coins at the entry barriers of the shopping centre car park. 

The petition, which was set up on Change.org by Mitchell Kenney, currently has well over 100 signatures and has a target of reaching 200.

The petition reads: "In light of the current Covid-19 pandemic, contactless payments are as important as ever. Additionally, many places with essential shops are the cornerstone of people's shopping locations.

"Although providing free parking for a number of weeks at the Kingfisher Centre in Redditch, they have once again implemented parking charges with their barrier system."

The petition claims the "increased demand and number of shoppers" visiting the centre may "increase" infection rates and the shopping centre should "suspend parking charges for the foreseeable future, until contactless payment and modern identification (e.g. car registration imaging) has been implemented".

Ken Williams, centre manager at Kingfisher said: “Kingfisher Centre car park operations form part of the shopping centre Covid Secure risk assessment which has been shared with the local authorities.

"As a responsible business we have taken all necessary steps to apply government guidelines and minimise the risk of spread of any contaminants.

"The plastic chip coins issued at the entry barriers are manually sanitised after each use following removal from the exit barrier and before being re-inserted into the entry barriers.

"Our popular touch points have been treated with a sustainable anti-viral solution and are regularly cleaned to maintain their protection.

"Sanitising stations are located at pay points to allow our guests to use before, during or after handling coins issued as change if correct tender has not been possible.

"We encourage all our guests to take advantage of the additional precaution provided.”