FREE car parking should be introduced in Worcester on Sundays to encourage more shopping, says the city MP.

Mike Foster is calling on the city council to remove parking charges on Sundays amid concern city traders are moving out because of high rents and a decline in business.

The city council said it was planning to launch a special drive to encourage more Sunday shopping but that free parking was unlikely to work.

"The heart is being ripped out of our city centre," said Mr Foster. "The prolonged refurbishment of the High Street has led to a massive loss of customers, and we need to get them back.

"On top of this, large rent increases are putting small shops out of business. What makes Worcester special is being eroded, and we need action now. "If it wanted to, the city council could come to the rescue of these businesses and do what other local councils do: offer free car parking on Sundays.

"This way shoppers may be tempted back into Worcester."

City council deputy leader Councillor Simon Geraghty said free parking would not fit in with plans to encourage people on to public transport.

But he revealed that a special one-day promotion encouraging more Sunday shoppers was being planned for October when half-price parking could be introduced.

"Testing the market then is certainly the way we want to go," he said.

Chris Harvey, policy manager of Chamber of Commerce Herefordshire and Worcester-shire, said he thought shops and businesses in Worcester would welcome free parking.

"What retailers are looking for is something to give the city an edge compared to Cheltenham, Gloucester, Birmingham and so on," he said.