Parking charges victory as Westminster nightlife tax is abandoned

Dec 23rd, 2011

Westminster’s plans for evening and Sunday parking charges have been scrapped until after the Olympics.

The victory for campaigners against the “tax on nightlife” came after a High Court judge ordered the council to put the plans on hold, saying there was a risk they would “damage businesses and churches”.

The ruling was hailed as “brilliant news for everyone who loves the West End” and means that the planned start of the charges on January 9 will be delayed for at least nine months.

Businesses from high street giants to corner shops, government ministers, celebrities and religious groups had united in the battle over the abolition of free parking.

Westminster council leader and hedge fund millionaire Colin Barrow today told the Standard: “We don’t know what the legal timetable will be, so we came to the conclusion that it would be wise to defer it until after the Olympics.”

The move came after:

Westminster’s ruling cabinet was forced into an emergency late-night meeting following the judge’s decision to allow a judicial review of the charges.

It emerged that Downing Street leaned on council leaders to abandon the charges, with No 10 sources saying “we are all very passionate about it”.

Boris Johnson hailed the postponement as “wise and brave” and the “right decision for Londoners”.

full story

Posted in: General.
Tagged: london parking · parking in London · parking in westminster

MPs hit out at Enfield Sunday parking charges plan

Dec 21st, 2011

by admin.

No comments yet

Politicians have slammed “contradictory” plans to introduce Sunday parking charges in Enfield Town next month.

Enfield Council plans to charge drivers similar fees to current weekday prices to park in the town centre from January 8, just weeks after backing and funding a campaign to boost local trade.

The Love Your High Streets campaign was set up by the council in conjunction with the Enfield Business and Retailers Association last month to encourage shoppers back to the borough’s high streets, as well as introducing free weekend parking in the run up to Christmas from a Government grant.

But Enfield Southgate MP David Burrowes accused the council of “giving with one hand and taking away with the other” by planning to charge shoppers for parking on Sundays.

He said: “It’s a contradiction – the council is trying to have it both ways.

“They are trying to say they are supporting the high street but then they are going to go and charge people.

“This will have serious consequences not just for shoppers, but for churchgoers and families who like to come and use the town centre on a Sunday.”

Full Story here

Posted in: Parking.
Tagged: free parking in London · Parking in Enfield · parking in London

Free parking in Enfield over Christmas

Dec 20th, 2011

by admin.

No comments yet

To help residents with their Christmas shopping, and to see in the New Year, Enfield Council is introducing free parking for the next three Saturdays in the Council’s town centre car park.

The Council is working with Enfield Business & Retailers Association and local business associations to promote Enfield’s town centres in the ‘Love Your High Street’ Enfield Shopping Campaign. It has also provided direct grants and support to retailers affected by the disturbances, and will reclaim these monies through the Government’s High Street Fund.

Cllr Chris Bond, Cabinet Member for Environment made the announcement at the Cabinet Meeting on 14th December 2011.

Cllr Bond explained “We have an opportunity to help footfall in the town centres, and restore confidence by drawing on funds from the Government, and have made sure that our local businesses, communities and residents benefit from this initiative.”

Full story

Posted in: Parking.
Tagged: free parking in London · Parking in Enfield · parking in London

Westminster Council’s parking consultation ‘contempt’

Dec 19th, 2011

by admin.

No comments yet

Westminster Council spent £400,000 preparing to charge drivers for weekend parking before consultations were complete, BBC London has learned.
The authority has faced protests over plans to charge for West End parking during weekends and evenings.

It has now emerged the six-figure sum was spent on signage despite residents’ opinions still being sought.

Labour said residents had been treated with “contempt”, but the Conservatives said the costs would be recouped.

Critics say the outlay on signage shows the consultation was meaningless in the first place and the council had already made up its mind to bring in the new charges.

It comes after a High Court judge allowed a Judicial Review into the scheme, saying it was possible the council’s consultation period had been too limited.

The leader of Labour in Westminster, Paul Dimoldenberg, said: “Westminster’s consultation has been shambolic and no wonder the High Court was so scathing of the council’s efforts.

“The council has treated residents and businesses with total contempt with £300,000 having being spent on new parking signs even before the consultation period was over.”

In his ruling, Mr Justice Collins wrote: “The consultation [carried out by Westminster Council] was arguably far too limited.

Full story

Posted in: Parking.
Tagged: free parking in London · parking in London · parking in westminster

Olympic disaster for drivers

Dec 19th, 2011

by admin.

No comments yet

Millions of Brits face fines of £3,400 during the Olympics unless they have permits to park outside their own homes.

Huge “no-parking” zones are being thrown up around all Olympic venues during next year’s Games.

Anyone living or working within a 30-minute walk of an event will need a parking permit. If they don’t have one, they face fines of up to £200 a day during the 17-day event.

The permits will be free but part of the cost of producing them and enforcement will be picked up by the taxpayer.
Fleets of “spy cars” will help catch offenders.

The London Organising Committee of the Games insists that the measures will “protect residents” and “stop interlopers”.

Spokesman Adrian Bassett said: “The last thing we want is for people not to be able to get out of their drive or not be able to take deliveries.

“We are working with all the local councils to protect those people that live there and work there so people aren’t parking in front of someone’s house and blocking them in.”

There are 32 Olympic venues, including Hampden Park in Glasgow, Old Trafford in Manchester, the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff and the City of Coventry Stadium.

And insiders believe “up to two million” new permits will be required. The method of applying won’t be known until March.

Full story

Posted in: Parking.
Tagged: free parking in London · london parking · Parking in Newham · Parking in Waltham Forest

Hammersmith and Fulham council freezes parking charges

Dec 3rd, 2011

by admin.

No comments yet

One of London’s most congested boroughs has frozen parking charges to help residents and businesses cope with the economic slowdown.

The move by Hammersmith & Fulham is in sharp contrast to the decision by Westminster to impose new charges in the West End.

Nick Botterill, Hammersmith’s deputy leader, said: “We know that local people are feeling the pinch and this is one way of showing our support by giving residents some financial respite. We are making sure motorists get a fair deal by not increasing our parking permits or pay and display charges.”

It is the fourth time in five years that the council has frozen parking and permit costs.
The price for pay and display bays stays at £2.20 an hour and £2.80 on the busiest shopping streets. It has also introduced 20p “stop and shop” bays in some streets such as Askew Road, Goldhawk Road and Fulham Road to encourage visitors.

Source

Posted in: Parking.
Tagged: free parking in London · parking in Fulham · parking in Hammersmith · parking in London

Parking dubbed the new poll tax as cost of permits more than doubles

Dec 2nd, 2011

by admin.

No comments yet

The price of parking permits in London has soared in the past three years, an investigation revealed today.

Campaigners labelled the council charges a “poll tax” for car owners, with fees going up by as much as 150 per cent in some boroughs. It follows a huge backlash against Westminster City Council’s plan to scrap free evening and Sunday afternoon parking in the West End.

The new report, by the BBC’s Inside Out London programme, claims the average cost of a permit has risen by an inflation-busting 26 per cent in three years, while a visitor permit has gone up 42 per cent. In the past five years, 127 new controlled parking zones have been created. Hillingdon created the most, with 34. More than £186million has been raised from permits since 2008, with Wandsworth council making the most, at £25million.

A day’s permit rose from £1 to £4 in Barnet this year, while residents’ permits jumped from £40 to £100 per car. Lewisham residents’ permits doubled to £120 last year, while Islington permits jumped from £200 to £391.

AA president Edmund King said: “Parking is becoming the new poll tax. It appears car owners are being attacked from all sides – whether they’re residents, visitors, shoppers or theatregoers.”

Full story

Posted in: Parking.
Tagged: free parking in London · parking in London · Parking Permits · residents parking

Resident parking permit costs increase across London

Dec 1st, 2011

by admin.

No comments yet

Councils in London have generated over £186m in revenue from parking permits in the last three years according to a series of Freedom of Information requests from BBC Inside Out.

Across London as a whole, the total amount raised from permits has increased each year for the past three years.

In 10 London boroughs, the cost of a resident permit has increased by more than 50% between 2008 and 2011.

The biggest increase was in Barnet where permits increased by 150% from £40 to £100 in a single year.

Barnet Council say they have increased prices to bring them in line with other councils.

Full story

Posted in: Parking.
Tagged: free parking in London · parking in London · Parking Permits · residents parking

Ken Livingstone criticises Bexley for parking fines

Nov 30th, 2011

by admin.

No comments yet

London mayor candidate Ken Livingstone has slammed Bexley Council for its “religious fanaticism” in raising money through parking fines.

Mr Livingstone made the comments when he visited the borough on Monday ahead of next year’s mayoral election.

He met with train passengers at Erith Railway Station and students at Bexley College before visiting Welling and Bexleyheath High Street to speak to retailers.

The Labour candidate told News Shopper: “We have visited 25 boroughs and we have found no other is as fanatical by raising money through parking fines.

“What Bexley is doing to keep council tax down is screwing the motorists. Literally it’s almost as if it’s a religious fanaticism.”

At an evening public meeting in Geddes Place United Reformed Church, Bexleyheath, he told residents: “Perhaps some degree of standardisation could be a good idea.”

Caroline Mohan won an appeal after being fined for parking on a forecourt while having tyres fitted in Blackfen.

She said: “I’m actually in agreement with Ken Livingstone. If he can pin point the problem on just one visit there must be something in it.”

Si Clark, a member of No To Mob which campaigns against council CCTV cars which take pictures of people parking illegally, also agreed with Mr Livingstone.

He said: “He is right. The parking tickets are being given out with no thought. Businesses are suffering.”

Full story

Posted in: General, Parking.
Tagged: free parking in London · Parking in Bexley · parking in London

Richmond Council removes CCTV parking penalty cars

Nov 29th, 2011

by admin.

No comments yet

Four CCTV camera cars which were involved in more than 18,500 wrongly-issued parking fines being handed out have been removed by Richmond Council.
The decision to remove the cars was taken at a meeting on Thursday.

In July, the south-west London council agreed to pay out about £1m in wrongly issued penalty charge notices issued between April 2009 and April 2011.

The council said it had told parking management company Vinci Park not to use the CCTV cars.

The cars were employed under the Liberal Democrat administration which lost last year’s local election to the Conservatives.

The leader of the council Lord True said he was “glad to see the back of the cars”.

He said: “These CCTV cars have been a menace to people for years.

“Councils should not be in the business of ‘trap now, talk later’. Many people see them to be an arbitrary and impersonal way of dealing with parking issues.

“The tactics used create the impression that councils are interested only in money.”

Parking enforcement officers will now interact with motorists rather than monitoring them from a “spy car”.

The council was left having to pay back many of the fines issued as a result of the CCTV cars when a tribunal found the notices were unlawful as the cameras were incorrectly licensed.

Full story

Posted in: Parking.
Tagged: free parking in London · parking in London · parking in Richmond

Freetopark.co.uk – Free Parking in London