More than 5,600 people have signed a petition against plans to axe free parking in the area.

Businessman Sean Dudden, who runs Dustland Fairytale Antiques in Midsomer Norton, launched the petition amid fears the “out of touch charges will wreck the town.”

Earlier in the year, Bath and North East Somerset Council (B&NES) approved plans to end free parking in car parks across the city, Midsomer Norton, Keynsham, and Radstock.

The new charges, which are set to begin by October, will be based on vehicle emissions, similar to the system currently used in Bath. The council says the aim of the proposals is to improve air quality through a major shift to sustainable transport, walking and cycling to reduce the use of polluting vehicles.

The currently free to use South Road car park in Midsomer Norton and Church Street and Waterloo Road car parks in Radstock will be affected by the plan. Mr Dudden has accumulated a little over 5,600 signatures from people against the new parking charges as of Friday, August 30.

Mr Dudden describes “the air pollution tax as a scam on people who live in rural areas” and hoped to achieve more signatures.

He said: “I don't understand why emission-based parking charges are being introduced in Midsomer Norton, a historical market town with a population of 12,000 people and over 850 feet above sea level. How can we have a pollution problem on top of the Mendips?

“We are not Bath; we are Midsomer Norton. One of my many concerns is that no traffic surveys or impact surveys on shop owners have been conducted, nor has there been a survey on the impact on the general community. These out-of-touch charges will wreck the town.

“We have seen how parking charges in other small towns have devastated local economies. Another concern is motorbike parking charges starting at 0cc. Maybe B&NES could give me a make and model of a motorbike with a 0cc engine? The town is united against these unfair charges, and we, 32 shop owners, have collected a petition with 4,337 signatures and rising.

“I’m also interested to see if BANES’s online consultation matches our House of Commons petition. If the public consultation does not align with our petition, questions will need to be asked.”

The petition will be submitted to Parliament on September 2 in the hope MPs will intervene.