Croydon Council has been accused of “trying to kill Coulsdon” after it permanently cut the area’s one-hour free parking.

Councillors on the traffic management committee made the decision on Thursday despite receiving 543 letters of objection, a 631-signature petition and protests from business owners who fear they will lose customers.

The council argued the changes, which halve the 60-minutes’ free parking currently allowed, would benefit traders by encouraging drivers to vacate bays.

But Alan Harris, owner of Coulsdon Home Hardware in Chipstead Valley Road, said: “The footfall in Coulsdon is the lowest it has ever been and if the council wants to continue to collect rates they need shops that are full and thriving.

“People will very easily stop using an area and having to pay to park is a big incentive for them to go somewhere else.”

Maureen Levy, secretary of East Couldson Residents Association, said: “I am dismayed at the whole thing really. The general feeling of those living and working in the area is the council is trying to kill Coulsdon.”

Prior to being elected in 2014 Labour vowed to support traders by offering free parking for an hour in district centres.

MP for Croydon South, Chris Philp, said the u-turn was a “kick in the teeth”.

He said: “It is going to make a bad situation even worse in Coulsdon centre and it is a real kick in the teeth to local traders, they just shouldn’t do it.

“Neighbouring town centres like Caterham and Banstead do have more free parking and better parking so the danger is people will just go there.”

But Cllr Kathy Bee, cabinet member for transport, said: “In terms of the manifesto promise, we had a look at the issue and decided it wasn’t the best way to go.

“The idea that Coulsdon is such a dreadful shopping centre that people will only go there if the parking is free is not borne out.”