FIVE hundred angry car owners from the Arboretum area of Worcester have handed transport chiefs at Worcestershire County Council a petition protesting against parking plans.

More than 120 letters have also been written to the council by people furious that the proposed scheme would see just over 500 households having to vie for around 300 parking permits.

Prabhjot Virk, who runs Virks grocers in Northfield Street with her husband MS Virk, who is pictured, said: "We are hopeful that we are going to stop this from going through and then be consulted on another scheme."

She said ideally the scheme would see all residents in the Arboretum being given a permit for just a few pounds, rather than the proposed cost of £30.

She added: "We don't have a problem with parking. The only problem we have is with outsiders coming here. There is enough space for just the residents."

City councillor Rob Peachey, who represents the area, said: "My personal view, from the correspondents and phone calls received, is that a large number of people are against the proposal

"The scheme won't work because there aren't enough spaces. There is not enough room on the roads."

The consultation process ended yesterday. This was undertaken following a vote on the scheme at the end of last year in which the majority supported the plan.

However, this result cannot be used as a true reflection of the views of Arboretum residents as only a third of households responded by returning their ballot.