Drivers will be able to park for free for 30 minutes along Upper Richmond Road West, after the Mayor of London launched a new scheme.

Boris Johnson’s stop and shop scheme will see free parking time increased from 20 to 30 minutes on Transport for London (TfL) red routes across the capital.

The scheme will allow people to spend more time on high streets and boost small businesses.

In Richmond, Upper Richmond Road West and a number of side roads will be affected.

Richmond Council introduced 30 minutes free parking for residents at high streets across the borough in 2011 in a bid to boost the local economy.

The council also launched the Richmond Card, which gives residents some free parking.

Richmond’s cabinet member for highways, Councillor Chris Harrison, said: “Times are tough and we’ve done everything in our power over the years to ensure the local economy continues to grow throughout the recession while shielding our residents from service cuts.

“I hope all London councils will embrace the Mayor of London’s new stop and shop bays – it will breathe life into the capital’s high streets, as our own initiative has done since it was first introduced in 2011.”

Nineteen of the 22 London boroughs affected by the introduction of stop and shop welcomed the plans.