A PARKING crisis is threatening to turn a Chandler's Ford parade of shops into a no-go zone, traders have warned.

Shopkeepers believe they are losing business because of traffic chaos at Bournemouth Road between School Lane and the Central Precinct.

Workers from businesses further along the road are forced to park outside the shops because of a lack of spaces.

And parking pressures look likely to increase with Eastleigh Council's plans to paint more double yellow lines in Bournemouth Road and a host of side streets.

The traffic chaos is frustrating and inconvenient for customers and that is bad news for the shops in the parade, traders have claimed.

Ketan Patel, 42, who runs the Munch-box sandwich shop said: "I am definitely losing customers because of this.

"People can't park outside so I have to deliver, and this means paying another person to cover me when I'm out."

Lisa Hayes from A Touch of Class men's hairdressers said: "If customers can't get a space they just go to another hairdresser.

"Some of the staff from Hendy Ford come here to park as they are not allowed to park at their own site."

The Hendy site on Bournemouth Road employs approximately 200 people and body shop manager Andy Bell agreed that the area was at breaking point.

Mr Bell said: "We have no room to allow employees to park on site and many staff arrive at work at 6am to get a parking space in the area.

Paul Garrod, an expert in traffic management at the council, said: "The new yellow lines are to protect road junctions and there have also been problems with cars blocking people's driveways."

He added there were no plans to make changes at the shopping parade in Bournemouth Road.