Most new public parking spaces announced for an area of Bath where controversial new parking rules are being brought in, will not actually be on the area's popular high street.

The Oldfield Park and Westmoreland Residents Parking Zone came into force today (Tuesday, August 29), introducing parking restrictions across the area including on Moorland Road.

Described as an "errand street" by one cafe owner, many shopkeepers on the popular high street feared that the plan to limit parking along most of the street to one hour would not give shoppers the time to visit all the shops and services they usually would.

After concerns were raised by shopkeepers and other community organisations in the area, Bath and North East Somerset Council delayed the introduction of the scheme from its original July 31 commencement date and introduced 60 new "dual use" parking spaces, which can be used by anyone for up to two or three hours, or by permit holders without a time limit.

But only one stretch of Moorland Road itself is set to become dual use parking, with space for nine or ten cars. Some of the other 50 dual use parking will be next to the road, on the other streets around the Baptist Church at the end of Moorland Road, but others will be streets away on Livingstone Terrace and Second Avenue.

David Pye, who has run greetings card and gift shop This 'n' That on Moorland Road with his wife for the last 25 years, said: "The council has said that it is an experimental period when they are going to review it, and I certainly hope they are going to stick to their word and not consider it as a done deal."

Manda Rigby, the council's cabinet member for transport, said: "We have worked closely with local people to ensure parking in the area is allocated fairly and proportionately. We need to prioritise residents but also ensure visitors can continue to support local businesses and organisations in the area."

She added: "We have listened carefully to feedback on the balance of provision and we have decided to introduce more short-stay visitor parking bays through an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order. The changes to this scheme will be made on a trial basis, from launch, and we are really keen to hear people's feedback once the RPZ is up and running."

A consultation on the 60 new dual use parking bays went live on Tuesday along with the residents parking zone. The dual use parking bays will be in place for six months, and whether they become permanent will depend on the consultation.

The scheme is the seventh residents parking zone brought into force in Bath this year.

The price of a parking permit in Bath and North East Somerset is based on vehicle emissions. The council states that a permit for an average eight-year old 1.6L petrol or diesel family car will normally cost between £100 and £125 a year.

It could be as cheap as £50 a year for an electric vehicle or, for the very largest pre-2001 diesel engines, as expensive as £250. Permits are limited to two per property, with properties with their own off street parking eligible for less.

The residents parking zone will operate seven days a week from 8am to 6pm, but not at bank holidays. Double yellows and disabled bays will operate at all times, unless a sign indicates otherwise.

Blue badge holders will be able to park in permit holders only bays for any amount of time they need.

You can apply for a residents parking permit here: https://beta.bathnes.gov.uk/apply-residents-parking-permit