Increase in parking permit charges are "too hard and too fast", warn Lib Dems

5.19.47pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 10th Sep 2008

Residents look set to pay £45 to pay outside their homes in 'controlled parking zones' close to Kettering town centre, Wicksteed park, the hospital and the train station.

Conservative plans to more than triple the cost of parking permits in Kettering alongside the creation of three new 'controlled parking zones' have been slammed by local Liberal Democrats.

The plans, contained in a report to a meeting of Kettering Borough Council's executive committee, propose tripling the current charge from £15 to £45 in 2009, rising to £50 in 2011 - despite admitting that this is likely to go against the wishes of local residents.

Similar Conservative plans to raise parking permit charges in Northampton from £25 to £40 were recently rejected, after opposition from Lib Dem-run Northampton Borough Council.

"With ordinary households feeling ever more of a pinch from fuel bills, food bills and Labour's latest tax rises," commented Liberal Democrat spokesperson Chris Nelson, "for the Conservatives to triple the cost of parking permits to £45 per vehicle will simply hit residents and small businesses too hard and too fast."

"With most of those affected having never paid parking permit charges before," added Vice Chairman Chris McGlynn, "a charge of this level will be a burden for many local families. While residents in Northampton are paying only £25 for their permits, we are faced with a charge that is almost twice as much. Conservative councillors must think again."

If Conservative borough councillors approve the plans at the meeting on 10th September, the proposals will go forward for final approval from Conservative-run Northants County Council.

ENDS

Notes:

1. The proposals for parking permit charges are contained in a Kettering Borough Council Executive Committee report: http://www.kettering.gov.uk/downloads/8_Fees_for_Residents_Parking.doc.

2. Paragraph 2.4. postulates an option to reduce the number of additional wardens to three, reducing net costs from £50-55 per permit to "under £40". If plans to phase in the introduction of the £50 charge were replicated, this would have produced a charge of £35 in 2009 (a £10 saving).

3. This option was rejected in paragraph 2.5., despite the statement that "It is likely that the higher the fee, the less people will vote for the scheme, especially given that this is a rate per vehicle, not per household".

4. Paragraph 2.9. confirms that this fee would also apply to business users and further states that "businesses will be limited in the number of permits they could acquire".

5. County Council plans to raise parking permit charges in Northampton from £25 to £40 have recently been rejected: http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/2537-increase-in-cost-of.4365393.jp.