CAMPAIGNERS are stepping up their fight against Dudley Council’s new parking charges which they fear will drive people out of business.

Traders around the borough are up in arms about the changes which will abolish free two-hour parking on many council-run car parks and, in a second phase, see the introduction of on-street charging.

Kingswinford business owners say their livelihoods have been placed in jeopardy because the fees, which come into force in October, will cut footfall in the shopping area.

Suzanne Richardson, from The Health Factory on Market Street, believes the extra cost of parking will add between £70 and £90 a month to what people spend to use her gym.

She said: “It’s going to be a total disaster, people cannot afford to come and park. I agree with charges but not at the ridiculous level they are here.”

Suzanne and many other business owners have been collecting signatures for a petition organised by community activist Shaz Saleem.

Mr Saleem believes the petition will have around 5,000 names when he submits it to the council, which will be more than enough to force a debate on the issue at the authority.

He said: “Local towns in the borough, including Sedgley, Kingswinford, Halesowen and Dudley are struggling due to a decrease in footfall.

“Businesses are closing because of this and additional parking charges will decimate businesses further.”

Ms Richardson agrees and says her clients are already facing tough decisions, she said: “We are not just a gym we are a community, some are saying they have no option but to leave.”

Gym user, pensioner Linda Cox said: “It has been a lifeline for me, I had a bereavement recently, it is the support you get, it’s not just a class.”

Health Factory client, Joanne Evans, added: “It would affect my mental health, this is my me-time. They are punishing people like Suzanne.”

Down the road at the Fat Cat sandwich shop owner Louan Rutherford says all of her customers are concerned about the extra cost of visiting Kingswinford.

Ms Rutherford said: “This will be a final nail in the coffin, there is not enough footfall in the village any more.

“A lot of local businesses have struggled, especially since Covid.

“No businesses had their opinions asked for, it makes me feel like our opinions don’t matter.”

Speaking when the charges were announced, Councillor Damian Corfield, cabinet member for highways and environmental services, said: “As a council we have set a target to deliver nearly £40 million worth of savings over the next three years to balance our books. This will go some way towards that and help to protect our critical front-line services.

“Beyond that we hope it will help to fund improvements to our car parks, roads and infrastructure, and ease congestion in our town centres.”

Mel Owen has been in business in Kingswinford for 16 years at her Park Street salon Styles By Mel.

She says the effect of parking charges will be felt because people will visit less often and spend less time shopping or using businesses in the village.

Ms Owen said: “It feels like the working people like myself are suffering for it, they shouldn’t be hitting small businesses and small villages, they should be supporting us – they need to go back to the drawing board.”

Those fears seem to reverberate all around the main village shopping area, back at The Health Factory Suzanne Richardson added: “I have spoken to a lot of people, we are all very worried – it’s going to become a ghost town.”