A BUSINESS owner has accused the council of turning a blind eye to her customers’ parking woes.

Elizabeth Burke runs Good News Bookshop in Leyton High Road which sells Christian books, music and vestments for clergy.

Mrs Burke, 69, said the introduction of controlled parking zones (CPZs) in the surrounding streets has left her customers with nowhere to park.

Although there are six spaces opposite her shop with 15 minutes free parking, Mrs Burke said it doesn’t offer enough time for people to browse in her store.

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She said: “Some customers tell me they are driving around for up to half an hour looking for a space. It is unacceptable.

“It makes me feel awful because we are serving the community and employing five people and we are being treated very badly by the council.

“There’s no support at all and they are not interested in listening to us – it’s disgraceful.

“It’s very frustrating because we have poured our lives into this bookshop for 37 years to serve the Christian community.

“Other businesses and groups have their buildings and the council should be doing more to help us have ours because we’re the only Christian bookshop for miles and miles.”

Mrs Burke and her husband Thomas opened the shop in the ‘70s after moving to London from Dublin.

The mother-of-three said the business is thriving and busloads come from as far away as Scotland to shop.

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She said: “We offer a huge range of materials and business is great but it would be better for the customers if we had more parking.

“We sell parking permits in our store but it’s no use because there is nowhere for anyone to park.

“I would be willing to pay for parking spaces for the customers but the council won’t let me.

“My husband and I can’t drive to work anymore so we have to take the bus.”

Cllr Clyde Loakes, deputy leader of Waltham Forest Council and cabinet member for environment said Leyton High Road is “too narrow to support parking” but pay by phone parking is available in nearby Midland Road and Fletcher Road.

He said: “We do of course have to be sensitive to the needs of local residents who live in streets near to our town centres, and controlled parking zones will only be introduced following consultation with residents in roads affected.

“Having said that we do offer some of the most generous parking provision in town centres across London, having retained the 15 minutes of free parking that we offer in pay by phone bays across the borough, in addition to the government’s own 10 minute grace period.

“We have also introduced a free one hour of parking between 1pm and 2pm in all cashless pay by phone on-street parking spaces throughout the borough.”