More than a quarter of a million people have signed a petition seeking to cancel New Year's Eve fireworks in Sydney, but they will go ahead regardless.

The petition, started six weeks ago, calls for the city's famous firework display to be scrapped, with the funding redirected to NSW drought and bushfire relief.

A petition started six weeks ago was calling for the Sydney's New Year's Eve fireworks. to be cancelled. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer

It had by Saturday evening garnered almost 261,000 online signatures.

In response to the petition, Sydney lord mayor Clover Moore on December 10 said the fireworks were planned 15 months in advance and couldn't be canned.