PEOPLE of Northwich are being urged to join the fight to keep parking free in the town centre.

Parking charges could be introduced across Northwich and Winsford as part of Cheshire West and Chester Council's (CWAC) plans to balance its books.

The Guardian has joined forces with the independent shops and businesses in Northwich to launch the 'Park the Charge' campaign to urge our council to reconsider.

Gaynor Sinar, shopkeeper and founder of Northwich Independent Retailers Association (NIRA), said: "We've stuck it out for so long in the recession, fighting against the odds, we're finally seeing green shoots and they're out with the lawn mower."

Rolling out parking charges across west Cheshire has been proposed within a public consultation by CWAC.

The Let's Talk consultation seeks residents' views on how it can save £47 million by 2020.

Gaynor, who runs Gaynor's Curtain Magic, in High Street, and is also a CWAC councillor for the Davenham and Moulton ward, said: "Would we really be saving any money by the time we've paid for the parking meters and policing it?

"How many people are going to lose their jobs as footfall drops and we lose businesses, rents and rates?

"I didn't see anyone giving me a hand out when I was on my own keeping a business going in the recession and now I feel I'm being supported by the new investment that's built up over the past four or five years.

"It's just about to come to fruition where footfall will increase and they go and throw a spanner in the works.

"We've got to create the revenue, we're doing this, and free parking is going to keep that going because it means footfall will go up, people will keep coming here.

"We will finally get a really good offer and we want people to come and use it."

Online and paper petitions will soon be available for residents to sign to show the strength of feeling against the proposals.

People must also have their say as part of the Let's Talk consultation.

Details of how to do this are included here.