Lambeth Labour slaps parking fees on Council tenants and leaseholders

8.43.02am GMT Sun 21st Jan 2007

Lambeth council tenants and leaseholders are to be charged for parking on their estates, thanks to a decision by Labour's Cabinet. They currently park for free on their own estate. But from 1st April residents on any estate in the borough will have to pay £25 for an annual parking permit.

They will also have to pay for their visitors to park on their estate - tenants and residents will be allowed a maximum of 50 visitors permits each year at 50p a permit. If they have contractors coming to do work they will be charged £2.50 a day for a contractor's permit.

However, this is only the start. The Cabinet report states that: "The income levels in 2007/8 reflect a phased implementation and harmonisation with CPZ charging". Given that Labour are also putting up the cost of residents' parking permits in Controlled Parking Zones to a basic £115 for standard emission vehicles (rising to £200 for high emission vehicles), tenants and leaseholders can look forward to paying this and more for their estate parking permits when the "phased implementation" takes place and "harmonisation" occurs with CPZ charging.

In Streatham, Norwood and those parts of Brixton and Kennington where Residents Controlled Parking Zones do not currently exist, it is also expected to mean increased pressure on parking on surrounding streets. "Tenants and leaseholders may refuse to pay for parking on their estates and instead park in adjacent roads, putting increased pressure on street parking," said Streatham Wells Liberal Democrat councillor Julian Heather.

"Labour said nothing in their manifesto last May when they took control of Lambeth Council about charging tenants and leaseholders to park on their estates," he said. "It is yet another example of Lambeth Labour's stealth taxes, to add to a proposed average 5% rise in rents, an average 5% rise in Council Tax, 23% increase in Leisure Centre Charges, and a staggering 250% increase in homecare charges for older people. It just goes to show that you can't trust Labour".

Labour have also approved a 50 per cent increase in charges for using estate garages, rising from £5 per week to £7.50.