MORE than 6,000 people have now signed petitions calling on Dudley Council to scrap plans to charge for parking across the borough.

A total of 6,271 signatures have been collected by campaigners urging for a rethink on plans to axe free parking on council car parks and introduce on street parking fees.

Traders, residents and community leaders have united to object to the plans which they fear will ruin livelihoods.

Community ambassador Shaz Saleem has joined forces with community champions Rachel Graham, Lou Hobley, Siobhan and Phil Rose to call for the plans to be put on ice until the issue has been debated fully. They have also called for external auditors to be appointed to scrutinise the plans and the cash-strapped council’s financial predicament.

Mr Saleem 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.

“In Kingswinford, for example, the loss of the post office has really affected the village.

“We strongly believe car parking charges will have a further impact.

“Brierley Hill has seen a £10 million pound investment to improve the town. Car parking charges will undermine that investment.

“What the council is failing to tell residents is that the money raised from phase one will be used for enforcement cameras for on street parking charges as part of phase two.”

The plan to scrap the two hours of free parking currently offered on council car parks is set to come into force in October, with a second phase planned for April 2025 which would see charges imposed on previously free car parks and on-street parking fees also introduced.

Halesowen based campaigner Phil Rose said: “It’s appalling for the council to make this decision without any consultation, they are out of touch with the local community and we have simply had enough. We have seen an increase to council tax, an end to winter fuel payments and now car park charges, our councillors need to be reminded it’s us who voted for them.”

Community campaigner Rachel Graham added: “It’s time the council and its councillors did exactly what they were voted for, to serve the borough, I believe it’s hypocritical for these 72 councillors to have their wages increase, then start charging for services such as car parking and green bins.”

The petition was handed in to the council on Friday September 20 and will be discussed at a meeting of the full council at Dudley Council House on October 21.

The council has said introducing parking charges will go some way towards helping the authority to balance its books and protect vital frontline services as part of measures to deliver £40m in savings.

Dudley Council’s leader Councillor Patrick Harley said the plan has already been agreed by cabinet and full council so cannot be reversed and he said of the petition: “It’s irresponsible to be leading people up the garden path and giving false hope.”

He said he understands people’s anger and frustration at the proposed charges but “we’re in a different time now and the council needs to make as much revenue as possible”.

He added: “It’s not something I want to do, I'm not enthusiastic about, but no-one’s going to die from having to pay £1.50 to park like they will from losing the Winter Fuel Payment. We’ve made a decision we think will have minimal impact.”

He said the plan had gone through a scrutiny committee and added: “They did lower the fees for the first two hours.”

The new charges will see motorists parking on council car parks charged between £1.20 and £1.80 for one hour (depending on the location), £2.50 for two hours, £3 for three hours (up from £2), £4 for four hours (up from £3) and £6 for an all-day ticket (up from £5).

Cllr Harley added: “People had to pay for the first two hours prior to 2017.

“We’re one of the last councils not to charge at all for parking.”