OUT-OF-DATE parking regulations are costing shoppers and damaging business, according to angry city traders.

Shopkeepers in the Tything believe a traffic order preventing vehicles from parking between 3pm and 5pm, Monday to Friday, in an on-street zone outside their stores is “unnecessary”.

The sign bans anything but school buses using the zone between United Footwear shoe store and Riah hairdressers during that time.

But in more than 30 years of trading John Hickerton, the shoe store’s manager, said he could never remember seeing a school bus stop there and pointed out there was already an existing public bus stop 25 yards further along the road.

Mr Hickerton said he had been given a £30 ticket for parking in the zone about two months ago while at least one of his customers had also been penalised.

Louise Rumford, owner of Heirlooms antiques, agreed and said: “I’ve had a customer ticketed but I’ve been here 20 years and never even seen a school bus use the layby.

“Also, if it’s for school buses why is it enforceable during school holidays?”

She said the sign pointing out the rules to motorists was “tucked away around a corner” between Naturally Gifted and United Footwear, making it hard to see.

An existing sign displayed alongside the regulated bay and duplicated in a neighbouring off-street parking area also tells drivers they can park for up to 45 minutes without penalty.

But Mrs Rumford said she did not blame traffic wardens for issuing tickets.

“Quite honestly they’re only doing their job, and we have a good relationship with them but the sign is hitting our business,” she said.

“As soon as people get tickets they aren’t going to come back.”

Although Worcester City Council is responsible for ticketing, the county council is responsible for traffic management orders and the signs and road markings.

County council spokesman Lee Shrimpton said: “We pick these things up all the time because bus services are always changing and the Barbourne bus corridor consultation has already picked this up.

“If this sign is flagged up it will be dealt with.

“The order is still in place and we’ll look at whether it is still needed but that decision isn’t then back-dated.”

John Scarborough, the city council’s head of governance and corporate support, added: “We understand retailers are facing a harsh climate and note their concerns about the bus stop.

“We will raise this issue with our county council colleagues, who are responsible for highways, as a matter of urgency.”