Forum Topic

You're up next Ealing Council - Excess residents parking zone charges are unlawful

Barnet CPZ costs are pretty similar to those in Ealing and they have just lost a court case over the scale of fees.If Barnet's appeal is lost then a precedent will be set and Ealing will in due course have to find a significant amount to compensate the residents they have gouged with massive increases in the cost of parking vouchers over the last 2 years.http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2013/jul/22/residents-high-court-barnet-council-parking-permit

Chris Martin ● 4635d5 Comments

Almost certainly.I have somewhere 2 letters one from A Cllr Cudmore and another from a Mr Metzger a council officer charged with introducing CPZs.Bot letter categorically reassure that the CPZs will always be a service for residents and not for profit or fund raising but it was to be self financing nothing more. It would never increase above the rate of inflation and the intention was to keep the CPZs low cost to residents.I gather this was also reiterated in a Zone C meeting in The Polygon and also with the invited working committee of invited residents associations.I'll have to dig these letters out.

Oliver Gregan ● 4634d

I'll await the result of Barnet's appeal before celebrating.Could be yet another 'easy-win' for the Conservatives next year and will impact far more people than a Southall 'vanity' car park which may/will never recoup its costs.

Nigel Brooks ● 4635d

John,You are wrong, and right.  3 hours for 40p to 1 hour for 60p is 4.5 times bigger but a 350% increase, ie they have added 350% to the original 100%.  You are quite right that the £45 to £80 is not quite double.  Only 78%.  Doubling parking permits I think gives a sense of what has happened in rather fewer words than explaining that the two hour zones have doubled and the all day zones have almost doubled, going up 78%.

Phil Taylor ● 4635d

Isn't 3 hours for 40p to 1 hour for 60p 450%. And £45 to £80 not double?

John Bergin ● 4635d

Yes Chris.  Three rises in three years.  Permits doubled (£25 to £50 and £45 to £80).  Hourly visitors vouchers up 50%.  Visitors vouchers in the old all day zones up 350%.  Hourly from 3 hours for 40p to 1 hour for 60p and all day from £1 to £4.50 - both 350%.

Phil Taylor ● 4635d