A SHOPPING street has been turned into a "ghost town" ever since buses and large vehicles were banned from its once-busy bridge, it is claimed.

Traders in Walthamstow's Palmerston Road say there has been a catastrophic downturn in visitors following the introduction of restrictions on the bridge further down the street at its junction with Mission Grove last month.

Network Rail says the structure, which runs over the Barking to Gospel Oak railway, is dangerously weak and has warned it could take two years for a "solution" to be found.

Businesses are already buckling under the pressure of two newly opened Tesco Express stores in nearby Forest Road and are now pleading with the council to introduce short-term free parking to help encourage shoppers to the area.

Babu Bharadwa, owner of Collins Stores, said: "We have been badly affected these last few months, especially with two Tescos opening. It's like a ghost town here.

"The council has introduced free 15-minute parking in places like Chingford but not here. We are being discriminated against. We need help."

Ahmed Aftab, of Premier Carpets, said: "Because of the restrictions there have been problems with trucks delivering to my shop, I've already had to cancel with one supplier.

"In China they built a 26-mile bridge in just a few years, but we are told it will take two years to repair our tiny bridge.”

Shamans Din, manager of Halal Supermarkets, said: "We used to get shoppers from the buses but now they've been diverted away it's very difficult."

Pedro Patterson, 71, of nearby Canning Road, was one of just a handful of shoppers in Palmerston Road when the Guardian visited this morning.

He said: "I would agree it's like a ghost town. And with the bridge closed off to buses it's very inconvenient for a lot of elderly people".

Lib Dem ward councillor Mahmood Hussain, who has helped organised the campaign for free parking, said: “These traders do not make a large profit, they work very hard just to keep going. They will all go if they don't get help.”

Cllr Hussain said he was due to meet with officers next week to further press the case.

A council spokesman said: “Further to that meeting next week [the] Highways [Department] can decide how they want to take the matter forward”.

The Guardian is awaiting an update on the repairs from Network Rail.

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