Resident Parking Permits

[lizzy1]

Does anyone have a view on resident parking permits?
I can feel myself getting really worked up about this.
My mum lives in an area which has had permits for a number ofyears now due to living near local railway station and that was the reason the permitswere introduced in the first place to stop users of the station parking their cars in the roadssurrounding the station.

The charge for the permit and the visitors permitshave been reasonable up till this year 2012 when they changed the system andapplied the cost per permit based on the emissions so for a small car the cost hasdouble unless you have electric car it’s free.

The visitors permits havechanged too and they now work out £1.00 per day even if I want to pop in for a quick cupof tea it will cost me £1.00. My mum is 83 and I can see it is causing herstress worrying about no one will be able to come and visit.
So really there are two things that concern me; mainly my mums walfare as well as
1, how can they use the emissions to rate the cost you willbe charged just to park your car?
2, why should older residents who rely on visitors have tosuffer?

[bluebottle]

Re: Resident Parking Permits

Have you considered pursuing this matter with the Department for Communities and Local Government? Their contact details are as follows -

Department for Communities and Local Government
Eland House
Bressenden Place
London
SW1E 5DU

Address any correspondence to Rt Hon Eric Pickles, MP, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.

Before pursuing the matter at Secretary of State level, ask the local authority involved to quote the legislation they have used to justify their pricing of permits by emissions levels of vehicles. I do know that emissions levels of vehicles are used to set VEL rates, but that is covered by legislation relating to vehicle taxation. I am not aware of any legislation that allows local authorities to base parking permit charges on vehicle emission levels. Be aware that local authorities have a habit of doing things and then finding they have acted unlawfully or illegally.

[michael]

Re: Resident Parking Permits

It's more and more common. Lambeth, Islington, Barking & Dagenham, Brent, York, Edinburgh, Newcastle among others all operate an emissions based tariff. £1 a day visitor permit is mid-range, plenty charge £2 or more per day.

By all means make your objections known to the council, just don't expect to change anything.

[bluebottle]

Re: Resident Parking Permits

Asking them for the enabling legislation tends to stump them. My local authority, when it was running social housing, charged tenants for servicing of gas appliances, were challenged by tenants as to where they drew their legal authority to levy the charge from, found the charge was illegal and had to pay back around £2 million to tenants. My refund came to a shade short of £200.

[lizzy1]

Re: Resident Parking Permits

Thank you I might just do that and ask the council why they have changed the system and the legislation behind it. Especially because the main reason the permits where introduced in the first place was to stop other people parking not to too inflicked hardship on the residence. Just feels like every which way you turn theres someone, ready to take more. Maybe £1 per day is a reasonable amount but I dont think so, if I just want to pop in for ten minutes or so its costly, anyway in time that will go up too. Dont think my mum should have to pay anything if the truth known for permit or visitors permits.

[bluebottle]

Re: Resident Parking Permits

Believe me, local authorities will try anything for as long as they think the council tax payers won't twig what's going on. However, the moment they get caught, on go the hair shirts and out comes the refunds. I know of a local authority that was charging disabled people £10 for a Blue Badge when the legislation capped it at £2.00. The local authority involved had to pay back quite a bit of money and got wrapped over the knuckles for it from on high.

If a local authority claims they are acting within the law, do not accept this at face value. ALWAYS ask them to quote the enabling legislation. If they are acting lawfully, they will quote the relevant legislation. If they are not, they'll be evasive or insist it is lawful, but not quote the legislation.

[Bill-K]

Re: Resident Parking Permits

Apologies to Lizzy for the hi-jack, but may I ask Bluebottle if that £2 cap applies to Scotland ? Mum-in-Law was charged £10 for her Blue Badge this year.

[michael]

Re: Resident Parking Permits

As from 1st Jan 2012 the maximum councils could charge rose from £2 to £10 in England. It's free in Wales and up to a maximum of £20 in Scotland. Still £2 in Northern Ireland

[bluebottle]

Re: Resident Parking Permits

As you will see, Bill, Michael has beaten me to it. Isn't that just typical? Lol!

[labman]

Re: Resident Parking Permits

Yep, I didn't pay anything for mine in Wales.

[bluebottle]

Re: Resident Parking Permits

Yep, I didn't pay anything for mine in Wales.

Go on, rub it in. Lol!

[labman]

Re: Resident Parking Permits

I was just wondering how the Scottish authorities reacted when they got a photo of a female gorilla applying for a Blue Badge.

[bluebottle]

Re: Resident Parking Permits

Probably went ape. Lol!

[Daisy-01]

Re: Resident Parking Permits

I think its dreadful especially in cases like your mothers whereas she is elderly and worries that no one will come visit. I know through my travels I have seen parking rates in towns as dear as 2-3.00 per hour!! To me this seems very excessive.

Wonder if speaking to your local MP or straight to the council will help. Doing quick calculations however in my head I can see why they see this as a good idea the money they will make!!

[lizzy1]

Re: Resident Parking Permits

Maybe its worth trying to speak to them first but really I dont think they are interested in helping, there doesn't seem to be any customer service any more. It just puts your back up straight away. What has happened to the Great in Great Britain?