Pickles slaps down Parking Charges

Coalition Governments Local and Communities Bruiser, Eric Pickles has in the national press attacked local authorities raising parking charges.

In what appears a good move, the Government have swept away alot of the red tape imposed by the previous Labour administration that tried to persuade people to use public transport by pushing up parking spaces and reducing their availability. Perhaps not so good on the environment.

Ministers claim it is to signal the start of the end of "decade long war against the motorist". Mr Pickles told the press "Whitehall’s ­addiction to micromanagement has created a parking nightmare with stressed-out drivers running a gauntlet of unfair fines, soaring charges and a total lack of residential parking.

‘The result is our pavements and verges crammed with cars on kerbs endangering drivers, cyclists and pedestrians, increased public resentment of overzealous parking wardens and escalating charges and fines.

‘Today the Government is calling off Whitehall’s war on the motorist by scrapping the national policy restricting ­residential parking spaces and instructing councils to push up charges.

'We expect councils to follow suit. From now on, communities have the freedom to set competitive local charges that bring shoppers to the high street, proportionate enforcement and the right number of spaces for new development."

So, with the much heralded "shared space" in Kensington High Street, the amount of traffic flowing through Kings Road, and of course the competition from Europes largest innercity shopping mall, Westfield, what will our council do to help promote local businesses and encourage local shopping?

Double parking charges of course.

Oh yes, and chuck £100,000 at the ill-fated Wedge Card, that isnt promoted by shops, not used by those who have one, and those that dont have never heard of it anyway.

Great job.