TRAFFIC wardens are penalising the people they were meant to help, says a town centre businessman.

Sean Ellman from Salsa in Bridge Street said wardens were not ticketing people who park up and eat lunch - but ticketing people who overrun the unloading time limit.

"It's got so that you are terrified if a customer calls, or you need the toilet," said Mr Ellman, whose business sells ethnic goods and has a tattoo parlour.

"If they don't see you loading for five minutes you can get a ticket.

"They have not been helping us so we can do deliveries and do our work. I have spoken to most of the neighbouring business, who feel the same as we do.

"I understand why they are doing it, it's the way it's being done. It seems the people they are trying to help, by letting us load and unload, are the ones who are suffering."

He added: "People are eating lunch in vans in the street but not getting tickets between 12pm and 2pm. That's when there's a real problem and you don't see as many wardens then."

The borough council said it is looking into such claims as part of a post introduction analysis' and would be able to comment on the situation when it has completed that.