Some Winnipeg food truck owners along Broadway aren't happy with new parking rules being put on their plates this year.

As part of a pilot project for 2016 the Winnipeg Parking Authority is putting a limit of two food trucks per block on Broadway in hopes it will help reduce vehicle traffic and free up more parking spaces for area businesses.

The Winnipeg Parking Authority is enforcing a limit of two food trucks per block on any street in the city this year to help reduce traffic congestion and free up more parking spots for businesses. (CBC) "As far as Broadway goes, there's actually more food trucks than there are spots now," said Mark Langtry, the vice-president of the Winnipeg Food Truck Alliance and owner of Habanero Sombrero Taqueria.

Langtry's food truck sits in front of 325 Broadway, considered a busy spot for food trucks, but he said he's noticing fewer crowds this year.

"It has changed because there used to be five trucks in this block parked back-to-back. Now there's two trucks, so obviously the congestion is much less now."

Langtry said the changes haven't affected his bottom line because he's still able to park his food truck along Broadway thanks to a new "food truck lottery" organized by the city that was done in March.

Mark Langtry, owner of Habanero Sombrero Taqueria on Broadway and vice-president of the Winnipeg Food Trucks Alliance, says some vendors are upset about new parking rules in effect. Twenty-five spots on or near the Broadway area were available, but not all food truck owners were selected to pick the space they wanted.

"Some people couldn't get a spot where they had wanted, or they're on the other side, and it has made quite an impact on their business."

Langtry said food trucks that used to park on Broadway are now being forced to set up many blocks away.

"There's some that haven't come out at all, saying, 'Oh well, we didn't get a spot, so we're way down at one end or the other and we don't like it,' so they don't bother coming to Broadway at all anymore," Langtry said.

A City of Winnipeg spokesperson said of the 25 spaces that were available,15 permits for those allocated spaces were purchased by April 1. The other 10 spaces are still available to any vendor with a valid permit.

Customers want more options

Some food truck customers said they aren't happy with the changes.

"We noticed that the food trucks are not as abundant as they used to be here," said Peggy Leuschen who works in the area.

"We're noticing there's only two per block and we wish they would let them congregate more, so you have more time to get what you need where you want," Leuschen said Wednesday.

Peggy Leuschen and Cathy Maughan who work on Broadway said Wednesday they aren't happy to see a limit of two food trucks per block, as part of new parking rules for food trucks in Winnipeg this year. "That's ridiculous," said Carol Wilcox, who also works in the area.

"Because when you only have 20 to 30 minutes for lunch, you're going to end up grabbing the first thing you see," she said.

"Yeah, I can understand that everybody wants to have access to parking when they come downtown, but as a customer, we like to come out and not have to walk block to block," said Cathy Maughan.

"It would be nice to have a larger variety, now you have to walk a couple of blocks," Maughan said.