Shoppers and businesses in Biddulph have welcomed free parking for one hour at the town's Wharf Road Car Park.

They hope the move will encourage more people to spend time in the area, but they say most people currently chance a fine or use the free parking at Sainsbury's.

Kevin Bates, 69, said people prefer shopping in places where they know they don't have to pay to park.

He told the LDRS: "Macclesfield are doing four hours free – Stoke's always a bit behind. I can say that because I'm from Macc originally.

"The parking charges keep going up, the cost of living goes up, it's just non-stop.

"Expense after expense. It's not easy when you're a pensioner.

"We'd sooner use a free car park like Sainsbury's or Aldi. They're both free.

"It's handy having an hour free if you've got to nip to the chemist or the doctor. 

"Not everyone can walk from the local free ones."

The Wharf Street Car Park is the closest for the the NHS Biddulph Primary Care Centre.

Joyce Griffiths, 77, said: "The problem is, here there's a doctors and every time [you visit] you've got to pay.

"I don't think you should have to pay to go to the doctors.

"It'll be better with an hour, but a lot of people don't even pay at all."

She added: "I don't think they should put the prices up any more – they won't get anyone on here.

"I think it's a lot of money – a lot of people haven't got it.

"But the doctors is my concern when they're working properly and you've got to pay on here, and I don't think you should have to.

"I think they'd get a lot in the town if you didn't have to pay at all."

Some people are willing to chance it, however – something they won't have to do in future.

Ivor Nicklin, 74, said: "If you can be in and out within ten minutes you don't need it – they give you ten minutes grace.

"If you're a minute over, they'll stick a ticket on."

Meanwhile, others say it'll be better to avoid the fines because there aren't many places to park close to the high street without paying.

Natalie Owen, 36, said: "It depends what you need – it would be ideal for nipping into Home Bargains, or anywhere really.

"There's nowhere you can stop, my friend got a ticket not long ago because she parked on a single yellow line because she needed to just nip in somewhere.

"It would have eliminated that, she wouldn't have got the ticket."

Businesses have also supported the move.

David Gunn, 42, of Darwin's Pet Supplies believes people will benefit from the free one-hour parking as they tend to make quick trips.

He said: "If you're going to do something in the main high street it's probably going to take less than an hour anyway.

"Most people either quickly pull up outside or park at Sainsbury's if they're going to be any longer.

"Other than that car park, there isn't really anywhere to park.

He added: "People don't spend an hour in our shop – it's tiny – so it's good for us, definitely."

Asked about the increase in fees, he said: "Well, you're getting the first hour for free, aren't you, so it's kind of the same isn't it?

"I can't really see it making much difference one way or the other."

He also said people are conscious of the rising cost of living, but still support local traders.

"Everybody mentions it – I think fuel costs more than anything are probably the biggest concern for most people.

"We get a lot of support from local people, Biddulph's been amazing for us, so things haven't eased off as a result of everything's that's happening.

"People are still 100% behind the shop and supporting us so we're really grateful for us."

Sarah Smith, 34, from Carters Estate Agents said: "I think it'll be a good thing – especially for the local shops, you haven't got to buy a parking ticket.

"For people who are calling in to drop stuff off it'll be good.

"I do think the first hour free parking is a good thing."

"I get then they have to increase it for an hour after. I think that's about the norm really, charges are about that price.

"A lot of people park on Sainsbury's because you get it free anyway, so people might go more to the Home Bargains."

She also called for more facilities for people with electric cars.

"What we do want on there is electric points for electric cars, that is a big thing that needs putting on there because there's nowhere in Biddulph for electric cars to charge.

"The supermarket doesn't do it, Aldi does it but they're not very good.

"I'm not expecting them to be free ones, just ones that you can use – because around here you've got to go to Kidsgrove which is a little bit further."

A spokesperson for Staffordshire Moorlands District Council said: "The revised charging tariff was agreed by the council at its budget setting meeting in February and is the first change to the charges in four years."