Proposals to support shops by giving two hours free parking in a town centre car park were rejected by councillors.

Opposition Conservative councillors tabled a motion at Monday's full council meeting asking for 30 minute free parking in Wallington library car park to be extended to two hours.

It follows a campaign from traders in Wallington, after 14 short stay parking bays in Woodcote Road were converted to loading-only bays.

The move by Sutton Council, part of a recently completed £1.3m revamp of the town centre, was intended to make Wallington more pedestrian friendly, and encourage more people to come by public transport to shop.

But traders claimed it was destroying the trade from "pop and shop" customers.

The council offered five more disabled bays, and the free parking in the car park, as a result.

But Tory councillors demanded the free parking was extended to two hours, which was rejected by the Lib-Dem administration.

Councillor Colin hall, who led the town centre improvement projects, said: "The truth is that the 30 minute free parking spaces will actually increase by around 70 spaces in the library car park.

"This is only 40 metres from the centre of Wallington High Street and should encourage even more customers to the parade of shops."