Driving Slowly Towards Emissions-Based Parking
Whilst I strongly support the introduction of an emissions-based parking policy in Camden, I believe that the one that is being proposed has not been discussed widely enough and is not comprehensive enough. The Camden Sustainability Task Force, which I chair, has suggested three significant changes:
1) We believe the charges proposed for vehicles with the largest engines are far too low to change behaviour and should be increased. Any money raised should be invested in green transport measures like safety measures for pedestrians or more cycle lanes. It is important to remember that is legally possible to raise money from increased parking charges so long as the justification is not simply raising funds for the general Council budget, which is what many residents believe the previous Labour administration did.
2) We believe that for an emissions-based parking policy to make sense it should be one car per permit rather than the current system of up to three cars per permit which benefits large houses with off road parking.
3) We believe that business users should also move to an emissions-based parking system.
Not one of these suggestions was seriously considered by the Executive Sub-Group (Environment) that made the decision to bring in an emissions-based parking policy. Why not? What’s the rush? Let’s have a proper discussion and then let’s take a decision when everyone has had their say. Surely it would be better to get this extremely important policy right rather than rush it and get it wrong?
1) We believe the charges proposed for vehicles with the largest engines are far too low to change behaviour and should be increased. Any money raised should be invested in green transport measures like safety measures for pedestrians or more cycle lanes. It is important to remember that is legally possible to raise money from increased parking charges so long as the justification is not simply raising funds for the general Council budget, which is what many residents believe the previous Labour administration did.
2) We believe that for an emissions-based parking policy to make sense it should be one car per permit rather than the current system of up to three cars per permit which benefits large houses with off road parking.
3) We believe that business users should also move to an emissions-based parking system.
Not one of these suggestions was seriously considered by the Executive Sub-Group (Environment) that made the decision to bring in an emissions-based parking policy. Why not? What’s the rush? Let’s have a proper discussion and then let’s take a decision when everyone has had their say. Surely it would be better to get this extremely important policy right rather than rush it and get it wrong?
posted by Cllr Alexis Rowell at 11:28 PM
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