Protests against high parking charges in Finchley have stepped up a level with posters appearing across the area.

Protesters, including Helen Michael, owner of Café Buzz in the High Road, have created posters showing all the shops that have closed in Barnet and Finchley this year.

In the middle of the posters, which claim Barnet Council is "murdering" the High Road, is a picture of Brian Coleman, cabinet member for the environment.

The posters have been put up in North London Business Park, Oakleigh Road South, Whetstone, Finchley and Barnet.

Ms Michael, of North Finchley, said: “We are stepping up the campaign. People need to be aware of what is happening.

“Brian Coleman is a public servant, but he just rides roughshod across us.

“Every day we see people pull up and look at the parking signs and then drive off. It is killing our businesses.”

The protesters say high parking charges and inefficient pay systems are destroying their businesses by keeping people away.

Since December, drivers have been forced to pay for parking using a phone, which some say can take up to 20 minutes, and charges are now as high as £2 per hour.

They hope their posters will encourage people not to vote for Brian Coleman in the May 3 elections.

Finchley High Road traders, led by Ms Michael, also staged a protest on February 6, for which they marched down the road carrying a coffin.

They used the coffin to convey their feeling that the parking charges have killed the High Road.

They have also collected 13,000 signatures on a petition which was handed to Councillor Coleman, two weeks ago.

Ms Michael said: “We need drastic changes and that is why we have launched the poster campaign.

“Unless we see significant improvements in the situation then we will take this further.”

Ms Michael says the protesters will boycott the Olympic flame procession in Finchley if their parking problems are not resolved.

The café owner said: “We support the torch procession and we do not want to bring our protest to it, but if there are no drastic changes then we will have no choice.”