A popular shopping destination is set to introduce controversial parking regulations in a bid to ease chronic traffic problems.

From next month shoppers visiting South Aylesford Retail Park will be limited to a free stay of a maximum of three hours, and won’t be able to return for two hours after leaving.

Initially it was announced that parking would be limited to two hours, but less than 24 hours later the policy was changed.

Scroll down for poll

In that time it had received a huge backlash on social media, with scores of people criticising the time limit and saying it was not long enough, given the nature of shops there and introduction of a new Nando’s restaurant at the site.

A spokesman for the Mills Road retail park, which is home to businesses including M&S Foodhall, Homebase and Pets at Home, issued a statement apologising and said a technical error was to blame for the mix-up.

It continued: “South Aylesford is a hugely popular destination, and we have established this free period in accordance with research on how long people spend shopping with us.

“The new parking arrangements will ensure easier access throughout the day, and means that more shoppers can have the opportunity to come and visit us.”

However, some shoppers were cynical about the explanation, and suggested that the alteration had instead been brought about due to negative feedback. Many still insisted the time limit was not long enough and that they would no longer visit the retail park.

Repeated congestion at the retail park and on nearby London Road and Hermitage Lane has been raised by Chatham and Aylesford MP Tracey Crouch, since 2015.

Responding to the announcement, the sports and civil society minister said she had mixed views, adding: “Anyone who uses Quarry Wood on a regular basis knows it can be horrendous at times, although I am convinced this is more to the junction than the parking capacity.

But a better flow in parking capacity, alongside a more sensible timed phasing of lights, may help alleviate the nightmare shoppers often face. However, the flipside is that staff at retail outlets on site are already parking in residential areas causing a problem for local people and these new limits will only serve to exacerbate this issue”.

Queues of up to half an hour to get in and out of the complex regularly occur at weekends and bank holidays, with waits of up to an hour reported around Christmas.

From July 1, automatic number plate recognition technology will monitor how long people spend in the car park, while signage will be installed to explain the new regulations.