A PETITION of 2,500 signatures protesting the introduction of parking charges in Ryde will be presented to the Isle of Wight Council next week.

Shop owners have accused the authority of failing to support independent shops, or having a consistent parking strategy and have called the introduction of parking charges ‘another nail in the coffin for small businesses’.

However, the council has said the parking charges bring an ‘element of fairness’ to the Island.

The council put forward proposals in their budget plans for on-street charging in Crocker Street and Nodehill in Newport and Union Street in Ryde, and on all esplanades.

The petition will be handed into the council by Karen Lucioni of Ryde, who will have an opportunity to address the council.

Members will then have 15 minutes to debate the matter, and determine how to respond.

Newport and Carisbrooke Parish Council have also expressed concerns about the introduction of parking charges.

At a meeting on Monday, the council agreed ‘Newport and Carisbrooke Parish Council support Newport Business Association in opposing the Isle of Wight Council’s proposed extension of parking charges to all on-street parking areas in Newport and the introduction of any overnight parking charges’.

It was revealed last week that plans to introduce on-street parking charges overnight were in fact a typing error in the budget papers. The council is looking to bring in overnight charges in off-street areas and off-street car parks.

Cllr Stuart Hutchinson, member for finance on the council cabinet, said: “In some towns on-street parking is free and in others it’s paid for. We are trying to introduce an element of fairness.

“The other thing introducing charges will bring is increased turnover in those areas where we levy a charge. So in those areas where people are parking for free all day, they will only park for a short period of time because they will have to pay for it.”