Liberal Democrats launch petition against 26% hike in parking charge

5.18.00pm GMT Mon 26th Jan 2009

Lib dems Stephanie Dearden and Surinder Rhode protest at 26% hike in Wandsworth's parking permit charge. "The Council should manage its finances more carefully so they don't have to impose swingeing increases like this."

Wandsworth Council have put the annual residents' car parking charge up from £75 to £95 - an increase of over 26%. In nearby Merton Council it costs just £60 for an annual permit. The increase was effective last October, but residents are only finding out when they renew. In the previous year the charge was £66, so the charge has gone up by 43% in two years.

Local Liberal Democrats are protesting. "At a time of hardship, when everybody is struggling to make ends meet, the Council should do the same," says Stephanie Dearden, from the Tooting Graveney Focus team.

Another team member, Surinder Rhode, says, "A lot of less well-off people need to have a car, and have no choice but to park it in the street. This charge hits them hard. It's unfair of the Council to treat them like a piggy bank that they can raid in hard times. They should manage the Council's finances more carefully."

Liberal Democrats have launched a petition to protest. "We recognise that it is too late to change this year's charge, but we say that the charge should be frozen in future years," says Battersea & Tooting Liberal Democrat Chair Matthew Green.

To sign our petition go to http://campaigns.libdems.org.uk/page1048