A controversial plan to implement parking based on vehicle CO2 emissions is set to come into force this autumn.
At a meeting of Richmond Council’s transport consultative group on Wednesday, the borough’s transport chief gave the go-ahead for traffic orders to be drawn up to extend the authority’s emissions-based parking permit scheme.
It will mean a sliding scale of parking charges with the lowest-emitting cars paying nothing and those with the highest-emitting vehicles paying double will be introduced in car parks and on-street parking bays.
A council spokesman said the plan, which was first announced in January and was condemned by the public, with only eight per cent of people backing the scheme in a consultation earlier this year – should come into force on September 1.
Councillor David Trigg, Richmond Council’s cabinet member for traffic, transport and parking, said: “The decision has been made, but the traffic orders haven’t been signed yet.
“On and off-street parking is now related to CPZ parking and is all CO2-based, it ties things up together.”
As part of the decision the authority will offer free parking on bank holidays and reduced prices for parking on Thursday afternoons across the borough – between 3pm and 6.30pm the maximum stay period will be waived and a maximum charge of £1.50 will apply, discounted to £1 for vehicles with lower emissions.
It has also formally introduced its 2020 scheme, a new 20p levy for the first 20 minutes on-street parking, discounted to 10p for vehicles that qualify for a reduction.
Coun Trigg added: “We are doing everything we can to encourage people to use our shops and also to encourage people that when they trade in their cars they go for a lower emission vehicle.
“We want to make it easier for people to park and to use our town centres.”
By Chris Wickham