A shopkeeper believes he has struck a victory for motorists after proving a yellow line had been wrongly painted outside his shop.

Traders in the East Reach area of Taunton, were dismayed to see a yellow line being painted along the kerb within the marked parking bays outside their premises – fearing a drop in trade and a host of parking tickets would follow.

The area is a designated clearway, but motorists are allowed to park in bays marked by dotted white lines for up to half an hour between 9am and 4.45pm. A sign on a pole states the parking period.

But John Dursley, who runs Enterprise Angling, says motorists fined for parking in the spaces could demand their money back after he managed to overturn the troublesome yellow line.

He contacted the highways department of Somerset County Council to ask why the yellow line had been added because it was deterring customers from parking.

“I was told they were having to do it because drivers who had parked outside the restricted times were going to court and challenging their fines.

“Because there was no yellow line at the back of the bays, cases were being kicked out,” he said.

“If that is the case then surely there must be a lot more people who paid up but who could have argued that the signing was not clear.

“The line was painted in the bays last Wednesday and several of us are already noticing a drop in the number of people who are stopping. The yellow line is putting people off.

“They think they cannot park here at all, even though the bay is marked.

“In my view, a dotted yellow line would be better, that would indicate that some parking is allowed at some time. A lot of us rely on passing trade and this is really going to affect us.”

Somerset County Council, which added the yellow lines, said it had done so in accordance with the Highway Code.

A single yellow line indicates no waiting during times which are clarified by signs. The dotted white lines which continue to outline the parking bays indicate waiting limited to specific times which are also clarified by signs.

Taunton Deane Borough Council, which administers the parking regulations, said it is not aware of any significant number of challenges from motorists over the parking fines.