Opening a debate on parking charges in the House of Commons yesterday, Labour MP Karen Buck said, ‘I entirely accept that parking income is a legitimate source of revenue-raising for local government, particularly given the severe constraints on the raising of income by other means, and the critical importance of maintaining services for residents.’ http://bit.ly/wATWU6, 12.59pm
Why should only one group of residents, in this case those with cars, have to support disproportionately the rest of the community when money is short? It’s not fair – and the law recognises that. Many who need to access town centre shopping, health and education centres, churches, and sports’ facilities by car are simply supporting the local economy and normal community activities.
The RAC Foundation has long argued that cars cannot expect to park for free in busy areas where space is at a premium. On-street parking has to be managed to allow everyone a share, and to avoid the congestion caused by double parking, thoughtless parking, and obstruction. That management has to be paid for, as do the signs and lines that tell us where we can and cannot park. But that’s it. No more. No revenue-raising. Regardless of what Ms Buck said yesterday, both the law and operational guidance make it clear that parking charges are a tool to manage the demand for parking and should not be used as a revenue-raising measure.
(The Department of Transport issues operational guidance to local authorities on parking policy and enforcement. That guidance was revised in November 2010, and it supports and complements the statutory guidance published under section 87 of the Traffic Management Act 2004, to which local authorities must have regard.)
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January 19, 2012 at 3:41 pm
Steve Loughran
Why shouldn’t the external costs that parked cars impose on a city be fully billed for?
A row of parked cars is occupying space that could be a segregated bike path, a bus lane, widened pavement. To dedicated to a a few cars wastes a vast opportunity, and parking charges should reflect that.
January 19, 2012 at 4:06 pm
Ian Betts
Any Surplus from managing on street parking has to be used in defined areas and cannot be used to bolster general revenue budgets. It should also be noted that on street parking is also a tool for encouraging turnover of vehicles on street and helping local businesses in the process. Prices on street are, in the UK, set at a level higher than off street levels to encourage parking Off street.