Surrey residents may already be aware of the Surrey County Council’s online petition to lodge objections to the Surrey-wide proposal to introduce on-street parking charges. The following information is being circulated to everyone in Surrey in an effort to achieve the 20,000 signatures needed to force a formal debate.

To object to Surrey County Council’s proposals to introduce on-street parking charges throughout the county please sign this online petition.

It only takes a couple of minutes and you could help retain the vitality of our Surrey towns and save hundreds of local shops and businesses who are already struggling to survive in this fragile economic climate.

If 20,000 signatures are collected before 23rd March, SCC will have to take the escalating protests seriously because they will then be compelled to hold a formal debate. Don’t delay; this petition merely demands a formal debate, a democratic right to which we should feel entitled with or without a petition!

http://petitions.surreycc.gov.uk/ParkingCharges/

The petition is organised by Miss Caroline Salmon Deadline is 23rd March 2011

Surrey County Council has a responsibility to ensure a sustainable local economy in the county. The introduction of on-street parking charges in our market towns and larger villages would have a negative impact on their vitality and viability. Introducing new charges on well used, existing free parking areas, will disadvantage local retailers and commerce at a time of economic difficulty. The new charges are also often higher than those in off-street car parks at nearby locations. These proposals will seriously effect passing trade. They will inconvenience local people seeking a visit to the cashpoint, collecting a parcel or prescription or making a quick visit to a shop for a simple purchase, and they will increase car parking congestion on residential roads close to town and village centres. The cost of installing meters and enforcement would be a major charge on any funds raised by the scheme. We demand that the council abandon its proposals for these new on-street parking charges