A protest this morning demanding free parking across Harrow demonstrated the anger felt by traders.

Harrow Council's Conservative-run cabinet agreed at a meeting on October 17 to not to roll out Independent Labour's Rayners Lane 20-minute free parking trial designed to boost trade by encouraging shoppers to visit local shops.

Officer analysis of the five week trial scheme, which was conducted in the Rayners Lane district centre over August under the old Independent Labour administration, showed if it was introduced borough-wide the council would lose an estimated £541,000 a year in pay-and-display income and £310,000 in fines from parking tickets issued by traffic wardens.

There are however many who feel the costs do not outweigh the benefits, and a protest on Friday brought Labour politicians and Harrow's traders together to demonstrate the need for free parking.

Labour's Rayners Lane Councillor Krishna Suresh who organised the protest said: "All the traders are very upset. Free parking is needed by traders in Rayners Lane and all of Harrow, and you only have to look at the trial to see what a boost it gave shops in Rayners Lane. It made a huge difference."

Former council leader Thaya Idiakkadar (Independent Labour Leader), who commissioned the trial, told the Observer: "Everyone is complaining about this and you can understand why. I have not met one person who is happy about scrapping free parking because residents need it and traders need it.

"What would have been best is to have a borough-wide trial across Harrow until the election, which would then give the elected administration all the available information to make a decision."

Council leader Councillor Susan Hall told the Observer: “I understand that traders in Rayners Lane have strong feelings on this and I am happy to talk to them about our decision.

“It is important to stress that we are not against free parking but this particular scheme was hastily introduced, difficult to manage, had a negligible impact on footfall, and was not cost effective by any means - if rolled out borough-wide it would have cost much more than anticipated.

“We do want to look at implementing a free parking scheme in the future but would want to ensure we have the right scheme and technology in place.”

Traders across Harrow are currently gathering signatures for a petition, hoping to get over 3,000 people to sign it which would force it to come to full council for discussion.