400% HIKE IN PARKING FEES TO BOOST COUNCIL COFFERS

Published by: Express

PARKING charges are soaring by up to 400 per cent despite a pledge by the Government to end the war on drivers, it was revealed yesterday. A shock survey found cash-strapped councils are still ­targeting drivers to plug holes in their budgets. Campaigners say the endless rise in parking charges and permit fees amounts to a local authority stealth tax.

The biggest increase has hit parking permits, which were originally introduced to help local residents and charged at rates set up to cover council administration costs. Surrey County Council has banged up its permit charge in Woking by a staggering 400 per cent, from £10 to £50.

Parts of Cambridge have suffered an 85 per cent rise while charges at Tunbridge Wells, in Kent, have doubled over the past year. Manchester raised tariffs 23 per cent. AA president Edmund King said: “Raising parking charges is another attack on the motorist, who is already ­suffering record fuel and insurance prices.

Former Labour MP Andrew Dismore said: ­“Residents’ permits were introduced to ensure that ­residents could park in their own street. “Now councils are screwing money from car-owning residents. “They should carefully scrutinise whether they are being used as cash cows to replace lost income. It’s a council tax increase by stealth.”

Out of 96 councils which responded to the survey, 57 had increased parking charges or extended the hours when they applied. The average rise was found to be 44 per cent.

Westminster Council, in London, estimates new fees will bring in an extra £7million a year. It plans to raise the cost of parking in bays to as much as £4.80 an hour. The hours of enforcement are also being increased and motorists are now being charged to park in London on Sundays.

Councils are also bumping up charges at pay-and-display car parks while others have scrapped free bank holiday parking. In south-west London, Richmond upon Thames put charges up by 15 per cent. The soaring charges come despite Whitehall guidance brought in by Labour aimed at encouraging councils to penalise motorists being dustbinned by the Government.

Under Labour charges rose up to tenfold, crippling town centres and driving motorists to out-of-town supermarkets. Keith Peat, of the Association of British Drivers, said: “When councils grant permission for retail parks and supermarkets they insist there are huge car parks to go with it, where parking is free – yet they think local ­traders can operate under a different regime.

“It is very, very short-sighted. What they should be looking at is introducing free car parks to bring in business.” Local Government Minister Bob Neill insisted there was now “no excuse to use parking as a cash cow”. He added: “Parking charges should not be used as a way to raise revenue by stealth and forward-thinking councils will keep them down to help local high streets and local shops.”