Have your say: Tory residents' parking charging consultation begins

10.02.29pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 6th Jun 2006

Headington Lib Dems are leading the local campaign against the Tories' unfair residents' parking charges

Well, it was bound to happen on 6/6/6, I guess… The Tory County Council has today begun to consult with residents living in parking zones in Oxford about whether they should pay for their permits. Regulars to this site will know that I and my Headington and Marston Lib Dem colleagues are united in our opposition to this plan, which is simply a poll tax on cars.

Here's what I wrote back in November, when the Tories mooted the idea:

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Across Oxford there are very good reasons to see this as unjust but there are particular concerns in Headington.

1) Headington has become Oxfordshire's hospital hub. The increased traffic that's creating means there's a need for residents' parking. It's unfair to make residents pay when the extra traffic is not of their making.

2) Before charging is even considered, the enforcement of the parking zones should be improved. Enforcement brings fines which might be enough to meet any costs. In Headington, there are serious doubts about whether enough enforcement is happening.

3) In the whole Headington and Marston area, we need more parking controls, not a poll tax on local car-owners.

It is a staggering irony that the same Tory County Council which is bringing in free parking in the city centre now wants the people of Oxford to be charged at all times for parking outside their own homes. If anyone, anywhere, can see any logic or consistency in the Conservatives' approach, do please let me know.

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Seven months on, it all still stands.

Of course, one should never pre-judge consultation (or what's the point of it). But, given my extensive conversations with residents on this subject, I would be absolutely staggered if the consultation showed local residents in favour of the charges. It will be interesting then to see what is the Tory County Council's response.

• You can read my story, 'Majority oppose charging for residents' parking' by visiting www.stephentall.org.uk/news/43.html).

• You can sign Headington Lib Dems' petition against residents' parking charges here: www.stephentall.org.uk/petitions/2.html).

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Here's the official news release from Oxfordshire County Council (6th June, 2006):

CONSULTATION TO BEGIN ON CHARGES FOR RESIDENTS PARKING PERMITS

Oxfordshire County Council will soon send letters to all of the households in Oxford's residents' parking schemes to ask for views on a proposal to introduce charges for residents' and visitors' parking permits.

Households in the four new parking schemes currently being designed will also be included in the consultation.

The information sent to residents explains the reasons for the proposal to introduce charges, what the charges would be and when they would start.

Residents will be asked to return a questionnaire asking for their views on the reasons offered for the proposal and the amount the charges would be levied at.

The results of the consultation will be considered and a final decision will be made by the county council in September.

If the proposals are brought in as they stand, most residents would pay £40 a year for their parking permit.

In the few zones where residents are permitted more than two permits at each address, charges would be £80 for third permit and £120 for a fourth and more permits.

Visitors' permits would cost 60p each. The residents in the four event-day-only residents parking scheme around the Kassam Stadium would pay £10 a year and there would be no charge for visitor permits.

The county council currently pays to operate the residents parking schemes in Oxford where residents do not pay for their permits.

In Abingdon and Henley residents pay for their permits to help cover the costs of the schemes. Most other parts of the country operate in this way.

Cllr David Robertson, Oxfordshire County Council's Cabinet Member for Transport, said: "I look forward to the results of the consultation. A decision will be made in September."

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