A group of businesses have joined forces to fight against a proposed parking permit scheme that could see small firms forced to pay up to £2,000 in permits.

The Ratepayers Action Group is formed of shop owners and employees in Highams Park, who are against Waltham Forest council's fifth attempt of a controlled parking zone (CPZ) consultation.

If approved, the blanket CPZ could see all-day parking restrictions imposed across 34 streets in and around the Highams Park Station area, and as far as the borders of Walthamstow in Wadham Road.

For the past two weeks, opposed businesses and residents have shown their solidarity by posting 'No to CPZ' campaign posters in shopfronts and living room windows.

But Memory Lane shop owner, Teresa Anderson, has now taken the campaign a step further by spearheading the new action group.

Ms Anderson, who owns the French polishing business in Studley Avenue, is calling on the council to extend the August 14 consultation by way of a petition so that a public meeting can be held with all options laid out on the table.

Currently, the consultation offers only two CPZ options; permit holders only from 10am-4pm or 8am-6.30pm.

The group has written to MP Iain Duncan Smith, council leader Chris Robbins and all local councillors.

"The current process looks under-handed and un-democratic - it is nothing more than a stealth tax.

"We are calling upon the council to postpone this consultation to enable proper informed discussions to take place.

"I'm appalled they've given us three weeks and have done it deliberately now to bulldoze it through.

"Highams Park is in danger of becoming a drive-through village."

An emergency meeting is taking place this evening in Beech Hall Road at 8pm.

Mr Duncan Smith has called on the council to extend the consultation.

He added: "I shall ask the council to extend it to make it a fairer process and take into account the fact that it is difficult for many people to contribute to the consultation during the summer period."