Campaigners have failed in their bid to halt the introduction of on-street parking charge, despite thousands supporting a petition for their cause.

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

However, during the meeting, the majority of Conservative councillors, who run the authority, voted against the petition.

Only one Tory voted in favour of it, a councillor from Spelthorne, while a further Conservative councillor abstained.

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 Claygate would, in effect, close down.

He said: “Villages like 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.”