The Free2Shop campaign – launched by the Helensburgh and Lomond chamber of Commerce and supported by the town’s community council and the Advertiser – has been handed in to the council with around 4,573 names in support. More than 300 questionnaires have also been completed.

The chamber has also called on one-hour free on-street car parking in the centre.

Kathleen Owen, of the chamber of commerce, said: “Around one third of the population of the town have signed the petition and that shows how strongly people feels about car parking.

“We hope the council take note of the view of the community and listen to their wishes, and I would also encourage residents to get in touch with their local councillors to make their views know ahead of the matter going to the area committee meeting.” She also encouraged close monitoring of traffic flow in the town, post-CHORD, to see how it could be best improved.

The spokeswoman claimed there has been some confusion over loading bays in the town’s Sinclair Street, after they were reportedly being used as public car parking spaces.

She added that perhaps the council could consider making the bays available to members of the public after noon.

Argyll and Bute Council also ran two public consultation events and an online poll on car parking recently which attracted responses from more than 250 of the community.

The local authority has proposed one hour free on-street car parking, two hours free in an ‘outer zone’, and is offering residents in both town centre zones the option to buy permits at a proposed cost of £40-a-year.

Off-street parking on Sinclair Street, Maitland Street, and the charging area of the pier car park would be subject to charges, costing 80 pence for 60 minutes.

A spokeswoman for the local authority told the Advertiser the petition would be considered alongside all the representations made by members of the community.

Future plans for car parking in the town is expected to be considered by councillors at an area committee meeting in June.