Westminster plans to axe residents-only parking spaces (Westminster and City of London Liberal Democrats)

Westminster and City of London Liberal Democrats <info@westminsterlibdems.org.uk>

Westminster plans to axe residents-only parking spaces

March 16, 2009 10:40 PM

Residents-only parking - about to be history in Westminster?

Westminster council is set to open its residents-only parking spaces to all drivers. The move, which would encourage more people to drive into central London and make it harder for local drivers to park their cars, is opposed by Westminster Liberal Democrats.

These plans are being presented at the council's Area Forums, being held across Westminster in February and March.

The local Liberal Democrats have launched an online petition at http://campaigns.libdems.org.uk/WMRparking where local residents can sign up to oppose the plans.

Commenting, local Liberal Democrat spokesperson Martin Thompson, said, "This is bad news for the environment because it says to anyone thinking of visiting central London that it's now easier to park, so forget about using public transport and drive instead. In turn, visitors clogging up the streets and parking spaces means local drivers spending longer driving around for a space - burning more fuel and making air pollution worse.

"It would also be a real slap in the face for local people who own a car. They already pay up to £120 per year for a resident's parking permit, and the council is proposing to make finding a space a lot harder. What is worse is the fact that the council admits selling 36,000 residents' parking permits but only providing 32,000 residents' spaces!"

Since 2006, the local Liberal Democrats have called for those with residents' parking permits to be able to park in any council parking space, including those currently reserved for visitors.

Martin continued, "Residents must come first. Central London is very accessible by public transport, and we should not be encouraging people to drive in - taking up what little space there is in our congested streets and adding to air pollution.

"Parking already generates £100m per year for the council. There is no need to sacrifice residents' interests to squeeze even more money out of people.

"We do support the council's plans for more opportunities for carers to park in Westminster, and would also like to see limited parking privileges for tradespeople working for Westminster residents. It's also important to ensure that shopping areas have a good share of spaces for those visiting local shops and businesses. That said, throwing open every residents' space to allcomers is not however the answer."

Anyone wishing to oppose the council's plans can sign up to the LibDem campaign at http://campaigns.libdems.org.uk/WMRparking