A cafe owner believes Barnet Council is simply trying to keep traders "at bay” by discussing a petition about North Finchley parking charges at a meeting next week.

Helen Michael, who owns Cafe Buzz in High Road, received an email from the council last night asking her to formally present a petition at the meeting on Tuesday, July 10.

The petition, which Ms Michael launched in December, has collected more than 12,000 signatures from people who are concerned that parking charges in North Finchley and High Barnet are having a detrimental effect on trade.

Ms Michael, who would like to see the £2-an-hour parking charges in North Finchley slashed by half, said: “I think the council realise they have to do something, but I actually think that are just trying to keep us at bay.

“They will have to do something but whether it goes far enough, I don’t know.

"I do realise that they have got to make money, but they are making less money, because less people come here and we are all struggling, so this doesn’t benefit anyone.”

Ms Michael will be given a five-minute slot to address the council about her issues with the parking charges, which were introduced last year.

She added: “I realise it is not the only issue the council has to deal with, but it is a really important one. The longer it goes on, the more dilapidated the high streets are getting and people stop coming."

The cafe owner was interviewed under caution at Barnet Police Station on Wednesday about her role in distributing political posters about the parking fees to shops in North London Business Park, Oakleigh Road South, Whetstone, Finchley and Barnet.