Manuka Business Association spokeswoman Angela Nichol said there had been a "marked change in foot traffic numbers" as a result of paid parking, introduced on October 1.

"People aren't bringing their cars [to parliamentary zone parking], and if they have a park they don't want to lose it during lunchtime," Ms Nichol said.

"We want to have a bus that sweeps through the Parliamentary Zone, Manuka, and Kingston and then back again every 15 minutes during the lunch period of 12pm to 2.30pm."

But the idea received short shrift from ACTION buses, which said it had no plans to bring more buses to Manuka.

Cafes in the parliamentary zone have also claimed business is being affected by the parking changes.

An ACTION buses spokesman said the Parliamentary Triangle was already "one of the most serviced areas in Canberra".

"There is a total of 136 route four and route five services which pass through the Parliamentary Triangle and travel to or from Manuka shops each weekday," he said. "This includes 16 services between 12pm and 2pm. The nearby Kingston shops are also serviced by the Red Rapid, which runs every 15 minutes and travels through the Parliamentary Triangle, as well as Route 80."

But Ms Nichol said Manuka was not well serviced by buses.

"You need to take several buses if you come from the north and it's difficult coming from other areas as well," she said.

"Because all the buses go to the Parliamentary Zone, we think [this new route] would be a really easy way to clear up some of the problems with bus servicing in this area."

The association has launched a petition calling for lunch buses, which it said would also ease parking problems in the centre.

Urban Pantry night manager Stephane Nguyen said paid parking had hit customer numbers.

"Foot traffic has slowed down a fair bit since the paid parking came in," Mr Nguyen said. "I don't know if it is just a coincidence or a cause, but it has slowed down."

He hadn't heard about the petition but agreed a new bus service would be beneficial.