Lambeth Council attacks key workers with parking permit price rises

Lambeth Council has disclosed that it will profit £1,050,494 per year from the changes.

The council has also announced that it will increase fees for Resident Parking Permits, Personal Carer Permits, on-street and car park charges by between 6.7% to 15.7% this year. These changes will generate an additional £1,225,883 per annum.

Lambeth Liberal Democrats have asked the council to freeze parking permit prices for the next 3 years.

The Lib Dems say that Lambeth is already the most expensive Inner-London Borough to own a Resident Parking Permit and the average permit price has skyrocketed by 71% in just 12 months. They argue there is an “absence of evidence” that further price increases will reduce pollution.

The price of a Teacher Parking Permit is increasing 35% from £435.44 to £587.89 (Band H).

A teacher with an average-emission vehicle who requires both a Teacher Parking Permit and a Resident Parking Permit will have seen their annual charges increase by 45% in just 12 months, meaning they are £279 worse off each year.

A Doctor Parking Permit is increasing by 32% from £536.68 to £711.07 (Band H). The news means that doctors will be charged twice as much as local residents, who pay £305.11 for a Resident Parking Permit (Band H).

In the Borough of Westminster, permit prices for teachers and doctors cost £120 and £148 respectively.

There is no discount or incentive for owners of electric or low-polluting vehicles. The lowest price Band A permit will cost £435.44 for teachers or £536.68 for doctors, which is the same price that they were charged in 2023/24.

Permit prices for some teachers, doctors, and businesses could rise as much as 64%. Paying parking fees for a Ford Transit van will set small businesses back £2,662.60 each year.

Commenting, Cllr Donna Harris, Leader of Lambeth Liberal Democrats, said:

“Lambeth Labour’s war on motorists is rooted in ideology, not reality. These changes set a precedent for extraordinary annual price hikes which prevent residents from planning for the future – that’s why the Lib Dems are calling for a 3-year price freeze.

“If price hikes continue at this rate, the average resident will be paying £562.40 for a Resident Parking Permit by 2030.

“We fully support emissions-based charging, however the council are not

providing enough support to enable residents to make the modal shift away from fossil fuel vehicles.

This regressive tax on key workers will eventually push them out of London altogether.”

Lambeth’s ‘Changes to Parking Charges 2024’ consultation is open for responses from the public until Friday 23 February 2024. You can submit your response here:

www.lambeth.gov.uk/consultations/have-your-say-changes-parking-charges-2024