The London Borough of Camden is proposing sharp increases in permit parking charges. That will particularly apply to larger engined or older vehicles that emit more than 225 g/km of CO2/km. Charges for those will rise from £296 p.a. to £475 p.a. and there will be an increased “diesel surcharge” of £102. Smaller vehicles face even larger increases on a percentage basis. These proposals are part of the councils Clean Air Action Plan. This is some of what one local resident had to say to Councillor Brenda Busingye:
“1. The proposed charges represent an increase of over 70% (in my case) which is an outrageous increase for any tax under any administration.
2. There is no justification for increasing this tax other than your stated ‘vision’ which is based on a narrow, highly politicised and anti-car ownership bias. Millions of ordinary people depend on private transport and the alternatives simply do not provide the facilities required. I am one of them.
3. There is no recognition in either the existing or proposed charges that, with Euro VI standards and new technology, diesel cars are now amongst the cleanest, producing far less CO2 than petrol equivalents and far less NOx emissions (note that it was a Labour government that whole-heartedly promoted diesel as a means of reducing greenhouse emissions which is one of the reasons I bought one).
4. Although it is true to say that electric vehicles are the future (and I am a big supporter), the technology in terms of range (a particular issue for me), charging infrastructure and cost means this option is still years away for most people. That is unless you happen to be very wealthy (I am not) in which case for such individuals the parking permit charges would not be an issue.
5. I have no choice not just because I need my car but also because I cannot stop you. Therefore Camden will continue to ‘gouge the motorist’ simply because we are an easy target. This is lazy administration and fundamentally unfair. Also I have no choice not just because I need my car or because I can’t stop you but also because I can’t vote this administration out of power. Camden is a solid Labour council and constituency. Therefore I am and have always been politically unrepresented and unprotected from policy excesses such as this one.”
Comment: this is certainly an unjustifiable increase and is probably unlawful in that it appears to be a revenue raising measure rather than just covering the costs of administration and enforcement. Residents should consider legal action.
Full details here: http://tinyurl.com/y62bf2wd . Residents have until the 29th March to object.
Roger Lawson
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