Campaigners have handed in a petition demanding plans to introduce on-street parking charges are abandoned.

The petition, signed by 26,289 people, was given to officers at Surrey County Council (SCC) headquarters at County Hall in Kingston, ahead of their annual meeting on Tuesday, May 10.

SCC wants to raise up to £2.5m by implementing the fees in 3,500 on-street parking spaces across Surrey in the next 12 months, and could introduce the scheme in Elmbridge this month.

But campaign groups have been set up across the county to fight the proposals, including one in Claygate, started by traders in the village.

Richard Catling, who represents businesses and shops in Claygate, said the scheme could see the urbanisation of the whole of Surrey, and the Claygate would, in effect, close down.

He said: “Villages such as Claygate have a hard time competing for business, but one of their great attributes is you can drive in, park up close to the shops and be gone within an hour. ”