MORE York organisations and individuals - from the Tories to the Quakers - have joined the Evening Press campaign to Stop The Highway Robbery.

Leading members of York Conservative Party have signed our petition, calling for City of York Council to abolish evening and on-street parking charges, to remove all unnecessary yellow lines and also to review day-time charges.

Prospective parliamentary candidate Clive Booth said the issue transcended party politics, but the Tories could not understand why Coun Ann Reid, the council's executive member for planning and transport, would not address local taxpayers' concerns immediately.

"Surely the rise in anticipated revenue is going to be far outweighed by the loss of business rates paid from traders going out of business, or residents used to visiting the city at night staying away," he claimed.

"Like congestion charging in London, the more successful the scheme is - ie easing congestion - the less revenue is raised. It's a self-defeating proposition, which anyone with an ounce of business acumen knows."

Members of a very different organisation, the Quakers - also known as the Religious Society of Friends - have also signed the petition.

The Quakers' York meeting house is in Friargate, off Clifford Street, and warden Rosemary Stubbs revealed they had lost money as a venue for meetings because of groups moving out of town.

"If £1 for all had been charged, I believe people would have paid up happily," she said.

Meanwhile, a regular blood donor has told the Evening Press that he may no longer give blood because of charges. Barry Jackson said he and his wife had received their reminder to give blood at the Merchant Taylor's Hall.

"There is no parking at this venue, so we have been advised to park in a city centre car park. No way.

"We have usually gone after work and parked for free. So if we can't find a suitable venue outside of York, then the blood we give which is needed so badly will cease."

Coun Reid said Mr Booth would be aware that business rates, while collected by the council, went straight to the Government, with not all of it coming back to the authority.

She said a review of charges had been promised, and officers were already looking at suggestions that had been made.

She said other venues were available outside the city centre with free parking, where blood could be given. "I give blood at Acomb Front Street and have done for years," she said.

Updated: 14:43 Thursday, July 29, 2004