A group of residents is preparing to bring a High Court action against Oxfordshire County Council in the hope of ending a controversial paid-for parking scheme.

Residents Against the Parking Tax is confident it can halt County Hall's policy of forcing people to pay for parking zone permits.

But there is one small snag - they need to find £50,000 to proceed. And the final bill, should the case end up in court, is likely to run into several hundred thousands of pounds.

Founding member Nicholas Fell, of Ash Grove, Headington, started the action after feeling "failed" by Oxford City Council, which, after seeking legal advice, said it could not afford to waste taxpayers' money on a courtroom showdown that would probably fail.

However, Mr Fell is confident businesses and disgruntled residents across the city will stump up the cash.

He claimed the county council would use the revenue created by permit charges to keep annual council tax increases down and claimed the consultation carried out by the county was flawed.

County councillor David Robertson, cabinet member for transport, said: "The policy (of charging for permits) had been determined under the (previous) coalition executive.

"Our mind was not made up prior to the consultation."