THE Federation of Small Businesses is refusing to back down in its fight against on-street parking charges being brought into towns and villages in the Lake District and Cumbria.

Just days after the South Lakeland Local Committee agreed the meters should come in at eight different streets in Bowness, Ambleside and Kendal, the FSB is saying the fight is not over.

It is now calling for:

* A postponement of the plans until a town-by-town study into parking requirements and issues has been undertaken so that any new charges are relevant and proportionate to need

• Calling on the Department for Communities and Local Government to visit the area and understand that the proposals are not about traffic management

• Surveying its members as well as the wider community on their views of parking in their local area

• Launching a ‘selfie’ campaign on social media for people to reaffirm their opposition using twitter handle @noparkingcharge and #noparkingcharge

Gary Lovatt, FSB regional chairman, said: “These measures continue to be highly unpopular with businesses and residents across the county and moves to implement them will continue to be opposed.

"The argument around having to protect services in other areas is shortsighted and fails to see the bigger picture. Yes, vulnerable children and adults services must be protected, but the families of those individuals need employment to ensure they can input into their care.”

“One of the key aspects of this is that Cumbria County Council are proposing a blanket County-wide approach to tackling 11 areas of very different need. Our own approach in the different towns recognises that this one size fits all approach is not the way to deal with this issue.”