I just heard that Westminster Council have decided to impose car parking charges on a Sunday. The official reason? Because more people want to park than on other days of the week. The real reason? Because they will raise £4 million.
This is absolute daylight robbery. Brian Coleman, the Stealth tax king of Barnet, who "never knowingly undercharges" would be proud of them. So why do more people park on a Sunday? Because public transport ceases to function properly in London. For many, a car is the only practical way to get around. Take Thameslink, my route of choice for journeys to London. There has been no through service in London for a couple of years, the Northern line is often also disrupted as are the Met line, Jubilee line, District Line & Circle line. My season ticket has gone up every year above inflation & the service has just got worse and worse.
What about the businesses, struggling to survive? What about the low paid workers struggling to survive? The Federation of Small business identified parking charges as one of the biggest threats to small traders. Do Tory Councils or Tory Councillors care? No chance.
This is absolute daylight robbery. Brian Coleman, the Stealth tax king of Barnet, who "never knowingly undercharges" would be proud of them. So why do more people park on a Sunday? Because public transport ceases to function properly in London. For many, a car is the only practical way to get around. Take Thameslink, my route of choice for journeys to London. There has been no through service in London for a couple of years, the Northern line is often also disrupted as are the Met line, Jubilee line, District Line & Circle line. My season ticket has gone up every year above inflation & the service has just got worse and worse.
What about the businesses, struggling to survive? What about the low paid workers struggling to survive? The Federation of Small business identified parking charges as one of the biggest threats to small traders. Do Tory Councils or Tory Councillors care? No chance.
People choose to make their visit into central London on a Sunday just because it is free and many will simply stop or go elsewhere.
ReplyDelete£4 is nothing to the rich and well worth it if it means it easier to find a place to park because the proles are excluded.
ReplyDeleteColeman will also be delighted, he can just expense it