MORE than 3,700 people have signed a petition launched by York shopkeepers to protest about new parking charges.

Business owners in East Parade, Heworth, organised the campaign against new on-street parking charges amid claims they are putting off passing trade.

The new charges, introduced across York, mean motorists must now pay to park in 60-minute bays. But the Heworth traders say the charges are already making them out of pocket.

The signatures - gathered in just four weeks - were handed in to last night's full council meeting by Coun Ruth Potter, who supports the campaign, along with the wards two other councillors, Viv Kind and Paul Blanchard.

Protester Ian Simpson, who runs London News And Toys, has called for a car park in East Parade to be made pay-and-display instead.

"I'm very pleased with the response, it has been huge," he said.

"It's not just the shopkeepers that want the parking meters removed, but also those people who come to shop.

"Feelings are running really, really high against the council for making this decision. If there was an election tomorrow the Liberal Democrats wouldn't stand a cat in hell's chance of winning."

Mr Simpson and other Heworth traders are meeting council leader Steve Galloway and transport chief Coun Ann Reid on Tuesday to discuss the matter.

"There has been no consultation on this issue which is unacceptable," Mr Simpson said. "We're prepared to compromise and accept a cheap pay and display car park. The meters are affecting our livelihoods. We can't be ignored now."

Coun Reid has agreed to look into the prospect of introducing charges at the car park.

The Evening Press recently made a last-ditch attempt to persuade Coun Reid to rethink her parking price policy.

The cost of a household's first resident's parking permit will double from £42 to £84 throughout the year, depending on the renewal date in each Respark zone.

The cost of visitor parking permits is also set to rocket, while off-street parking charges have already gone up.

We handed Coun Reid 167 separate objections to the proposals. Many more readers contacted the paper by telephone or readers' letters to complain about the charges.

Updated: 10:19 Friday, April 30, 2004