THE Evening Press Stop The Highway Robbery petition has collected more than 5,000 signatures.

Today we urge readers who support the campaign, but have not yet signed up - or who have signed a form, but not yet sent it back to the paper - to do so as soon as possible.

The petition is due to be handed over to City of York Council's executive member for planning and transport, Coun Ann Reid, on September 6, so we need forms back by Friday, September 3, at the very latest.

The campaign calls for the authority to abolish evening and on-street parking charges, and also to remove unnecessary yellow lines. It also calls for an urgent review of day-time charges, in the light of the impact on city centre businesses.

Since it was launched, the council has launched a comprehensive review of evening parking and other issues, with a decision on possible changes due to be made at a council executive meeting on September 28.

Support has come in for the campaign from retailers and restaurateurs, charities and voluntary organisations, tourist attractions and motorists.

Scores of people from all over the world, many of them former York residents, have signed the petition online after reading about the campaign on our website:

www.thisisyork.co.uk

Readers have continued to give strong views on the charges while signing the petition.

Mike Ashley, of Upper Poppleton, said: "There should be no parking charges after 1800. We no longer go to York in the evening but go elsewhere where parking is free.

"The town will lose out in the long-term as businesses will close. This is another attack on the long- suffering motorist. The council is paid to SERVE its people, NOT to punish."

Wayne Miller, of Driffield, said: "I work and socialise in York, and am outraged by parking charges in the city, especially at weekends."

The 5,000 total has been reached after hundreds of signatures were collected recently by businesses such as Supersave, in Fossgate, The Jumper Company, in Low Petergate, and Mamma Mia restaurant, in Gillygate.

The figure is more than the 4,700 collected in support of the campaign to save Terry's chocolate factory from closure.

Coun Reid said she would be happy to receive the petition, which would be taken into account by officers conducting the review. "All comments will be taken into account."

Another meeting about parking charges will be held by York TUC, at 7.30pm, at Priory Street tomorrow, aimed at groups and organisations affected by the charges.

Updated: 12:09 Wednesday, August 25, 2004