More than 1,400 have joined a campaign after a 41 per cent rise in parking charges.
Bath traders have handed a petition to Bath and North East Somerset Council asking the authority to reconsider its price increases to on-street parking.
In January the council created an ultra-premium zone on Laura Place, Milsom Street and Royal Avenue in Royal Victoria Park, where parking for 30 minutes went up from £1.30 to £1.80 (38 per cent), for an hour from £2.40 to £3.40 (41 per cent), and for two hours from £3.70 to £5 (35 per cent).
Streets in a new premium zone - Alfred Street, Bennett Street, Brock Street, Gay Street, Old King Street, Queens Parade, Queen Square, Russell Street and Walcot Street - saw 30-minute charges rise from £1.30 to £1.60, hourly charges go up from £2.40 to £3.10, and the price for two hours from £3.70 to £4.30.
Bath and North East Somerset Council said at the time that its on-street charges had been frozen since 2010.
Jo Davies, owner of furniture and gift store Grasse on Argyle Street, launched the petition with the support of fellow independent traders.
"We just feel like there's no support.
"We're not asking for free parking but something needs to be done."
The campaigners are now calling for half an hour free parking in the city centre.
Owner of the A H Hale Chemist on Argyle Street, Rajen Doshi, said Laura Place was too expensive for customers to park on.
"They have made Laura Place ultra-premium it costs £5 to park for two hours but in other parts of the city you can park for four hours for the same price - that is not fair. Between Laura Place and the Podium is the highest concentration of independent traders.
"At an economic time when things are so carefully balanced there needs to be a little bit of commonsense to preserve the city centre for locals and tourists."
Chair of Bath's Federation of Small Businesses, Angela MacAusland, said parking in the city was one of the group's top issues.
"Anything that can support local businesses, anything that can keep visitors coming to the city has got to be a priority for the council.
"It affects everybody in Bath. There is an argument for keeping traffic out of the city centre but when you do business in the city you have to get around some how and not everyone lives and works in the city.
Because of the petition B&NES Council will now have to debate the parking charge increases and their impact on traders.
A spokesman for the council said: "The petition will be considered however it should be noted that Bath and North East Somerset Council has recently frozen all off-street car park charges throughout the district for a fourth consecutive year. 70 per cent of on-street parking charges in Bath have been frozen since 2010. Our charges are either much lower or exactly average on a range of tariffs compared to 20 similar sized or slightly larger locations.
"Our charges are set at a fair level to encourage favourable trading conditions. In Bath we encourage people to use our park and ride sites, which are available from £2.60 return."
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