A THOUSAND people have backed a petition calling for more long-stay parking in Witney.

A total of 15 shops have collected signatures from shoppers and employees over the past two months.

They want West Oxfordshire District Council to make more long stay car parking available in the town as, they say, the three-hour limit on the majority of spaces — which are free — does not allow enough time to shop, eat, or go to the cinema.

At the beginning of the month, the council announced that 150 — a quarter of the 590 spaces in the Marriotts Walk multi-storey — would be changed to a five-hour limit. These are on the two upper floors.

The remaining spaces will still be for three hours.

The petition, which will be presented to the council at the end of the week, was started by Laura Steffens, 24.

Hairdresser Mrs Steffens, of Richards Hair Group, High Street, said: “The general public have said that they find it difficult as three hours isn’t acceptable to go shopping or have lunch or even have your hair coloured and then go shopping.”

Kaz Hakimi collected 50 signatures at the Old Studio Coffee House, in High Street.

He said: “It’s important for business that there are enough long-stay spaces.”

David Harvey, WODC cabinet member for the environment, said: “We do have to get the balance right between visitors to Witney, and staff and residents who live in the town.”