TRADES unionists are pressing ahead with a mass lobby of York councillors against controversial parking charges and restrictions.

They are seeking the backing of ordinary motorists, residents and businesses, who they say have all been badly hit by the introduction of evening and on-street charges, doubled ResPark fees and new double yellow lines.

The York Trades Union Council intends handing over a dossier to councillors following the lobby, outlining objections to the charges from different organisations and individuals.

The lobby is planned to take place outside the Guildhall ahead of the full City of York Council meeting on July 29. Lobby organiser Bryan Anderson said it would be preceded on July 22 by a public meeting at the York Railway Institute, at 7pm.

Individuals and organisations with concerns about parking would be invited to attend so that all views could be gathered and a united stance agreed.

He said leaflets and posters would be sent to businesses inviting them to the meeting and also to publicise the lobby, which is scheduled to last from 5pm until 7pm.

He said ordinary York motorists were fed up of the attitude shown towards them by the council.

One example was the rash of double yellow lines, and other night-time parking restrictions which had sprung up on many city centre streets, where they could not be justified by "spurious claims" that they were needed to allow emergency vehicles better access.

Examples of these included cobbled areas in Blossom Street, the stretch of road outside the Lendal Post Office, Duncombe Place and Blake Street.

He suspected that the real reason for such restrictions had been to force evening motorists into car parks where they would have to pay, and the TUC intended asking members from the ambulance and fire services where restrictions were justified by access demands and where they were not.

He said unions also had concerns about the safety implications for low-paid workers in city centre bars and restaurants, who were no longer able to leave their cars on the street on an evening.

Instead, they had to spend the first hour of their wage on parking in an edge-of-town car park and then face a hazardous walk back through darkened streets to their vehicle in the early hours after finishing work.

Updated: 08:21 Thursday, June 24, 2004