MORE than 2,500 motorists have been caught out on a single road in Hounslow since CCTV was introduced there five months ago.

Traders in Kingsley Road, at the east end of the High Street, claim business has fallen by up to a fifth since the cameras went up in October.

Shopkeepers are angry the council did not consult them on the move, which they claim is unnecessary and could prove the final nail in the coffin for struggling firms.

Labour councillor Ruth Cadbury handed in a 215-name petition, signed by traders and residents along the road, at last Tuesday's borough council meeting.

Mahendra Patel, who runs Kansons newsagent in Kingsley Road, said the restrictions were unnecessary and made it difficult for elderly residents to reach their local shops.

"Business is already down by about 10 per cent on this time last year and these cameras have reduced footfall by another 20 per cent," he told the Chronicle. "The council should have talked to us before doing this kind of thing but they didn't consider the impact it would have. There's no support at all for shops at this end of the High Street."

Mr Patel, who has run the business for about 20 years, added that parking restrictions were unnecessary since the road was rarely busy and the only problem caused by parked cars was when buses occasionally have to turn in the road.

Mukesh Patel, who owns Amin Pharmacy, a few doors along from Kansons, described the cameras as a 'draconian' measure and said trade was down by 15-20 per cent since they went up. I don't like the way the council's gone about it, failing to publicise the cameras properly and catching people by surprise during the festive period.

"There's no reason people shouldn't be allowed to park for a few minutes while picking up shopping or dropping someone off."

However, a council spokesman insisted the cameras were needed to reduce traffic and were well signposted He said there was a public car park within 50 metres of the road and that the rate of parking fines – about 17 a day during the first five months – was expected to fall as more people followed the restrictions.

"We have a responsibility to keep traffic moving on the borough’s streets. The congestion caused by illegal parking on the road affects the running of buses and, on occasion, emergency vehicles," he added.

"Camera enforcement is our last resort and is used only when other types of enforcement have been unsuccessful."