A residents' association has teamed up with traders to campaign against the loading bays outside their shops.

Traders in The Market Place, Falloden Way, in Hampstead Garden Suburb, have written to Transport for London (TfL) calling for two loading bays to be removed and replaced with normal parking arrangements.

The bays have been a source of controversy since 2006 when TfL set up a CCTV camera to monitor their use.

Since then hundreds of motorists have been fined for using the bays, even though Hampstead Garden Suburb Residents’ Association claims they are badly marked.

Hamid, who owns Sign Solutions, says that on February 1, a delivery van arrived at his shop to make a delivery.

He says the van driver parked in the loading bay and then realised there was an ordinary parking space closer to the shop.

Hamid claims the van moved when it saw this space, but then received a £65 fine for parking in the loading bay.

He says that TfL told him the ticket was issued because no loading took place while the van was in the loading bay.

Hamid said: “My suppliers now won’t deliver to me, they are too angry.

“My business is at risk because my suppliers will not come.

“I am prepared to go to a tribunal to protest against this action.”

There were initially three loading bays, but in 2008 the residents’ association and local businesses lobbied TfL to remove one. Two remain in place.

Gary Shaw, of the residents’ association, said, “TfL appears to issue tickets more or less on spec almost as soon as a vehicle stops in one of the loading bays, regardless of circumstances.

“As a result they are chasing away customers who are essential to our local businesses. Once they have received a fine, many of these shoppers will not come back to The Market Place again.”

He added: “In a time of economic difficulty we really are in danger of losing our shopping centre, thanks to the actions of TfL.”

We await a comment from TfL.