Town centre residents across the Forest are bracing themselves for chaos when car parking charges come into force next month.

Those living on the side streets are worried their roads will become clogged with neighbours and town centre workers trying to avoid the charges.

And householders who use the council-run car parks now face paying for an annual permit of £312 or finding a nearby side street.

Residents in Boxbush Road, Coleford, have made their own protest posters amid fears their street next to the town centre will be inundated with shoppers and workers looking for free spaces.

Andrew Godden said residents have every sympathy with people faced with paying to park.

"I think people thought it was such a ridiculous idea it would go away and are just waking up to the idea that it is about to happen," he said.

Neighbour Jo Fawcett believes many people are still in the dark but those who do know the charges are weeks away have started looking for alternatives.

"People will have a huge shock when they realise it's actually going to happen," she said.

"My main concern is the survival of the town centre but there are so many other issues, It will have an impact on so many people's lives and it is already getting busier on this road."

Ten Forest of Dean District Council car parks will have the meters installed next month and there will be a review of on-street parking.

Residents in Cinderford town centre say they don't want to buy a £312 permit to use the car park because it does not come with any guarantee they will be able to get a space.

Adrian Wilce who lives opposite the car park in Cinderford will park his truck and car elsewhere.

"I'm not paying over £300 for nothing," he said. "They say the charges are to cover maintenance, but what maintenance?

"I've lived here four years and they didn't do anything until a few weeks ago when they cut the hedges and sent a workman from miles away to repaint the bays.

"He couldn't do it because nobody had coned it off and it was full of cars.

"Cars are always being damaged and stuff stolen, but they can never get any images from the CCTV, so what would we be paying for?

"The car park is not big enough and as soon as you move the car somebody fills the space."

Councillor Brian Robinson, cabinet member for efficient council and planning policy at Forest of Dean District Council, said the annual permits are priced to give a 50 per cent discount on the daily rate.

"They are also interchangeable between vehicles and between people so you wouldn't need to buy more than one permit unless you want to park more than one vehicle at the same time," he said.

"The intention of introducing car parking management is to pass the costs of running the car parks onto those that use them, which includes those using them regularly."