We should lure drivers out of their cars – not into them

Published: 4th February, 2011

• ON Friday we went to the municipal offices in Upper Street to buy visitors’ parking permits. When we reached the counter after a 35-minute wait a helpful assistant supplied us with two books of three-hour permits. With many apologies, she told us that the two books of 30-minute permits we urgently required were not available as they had run out of stock. 

We were incredulous as we could not understand how Islington Council could run out of parking permits. 

Apparently, there had been a rush on and, despite a large consignment arriving midweek, the permits for our area were unavailable.

We understand this was due to the council lifting the restriction on the number of visitors’ parking permits residents are able to buy. People had been ordering them online as if there was no tomorrow.

It is clear to us that by doing this the council is actively encouraging visitors to the borough to arrive by car rather than use the public transport system with which we are very well served. This, coupled with the residents’ “roamer” scheme, which few wanted, will discourage people from walking and thereby increase obesity and other health problems, cause more pollution and, worst of all, an increase in road casualties, which in turn will put more pressure on the NHS. 

Surely, the council should be encouraging people out of their cars not into them.
Pat Tuson and Chris Ashby
Bryantwood Road, N7

• WHAT world is Councillor Catherine West living in (Parking: give our ‘roamer’ idea a chance, January 28)? The opportunity to park in other parts of Islington is not available to all residents. Those who live on council estates do not have parking permits and can park only where they live. 

Many other residents do not have cars, especially the elderly and disabled. Islington’s “wonderful café and restaurant culture” will not become accessible to them with “roamer” parking.

 Moreover, I’m sure residents are not naïve enough to believe Islington Council will agree to scrap the scheme if we oppose it once it is running. The council is introducing this as a sweetener to those on whom they have imposed greatly increased parking charges: we are not impressed. Don’t be fooled: oppose it now.
Janet Home
Ashmount Road, N19

• THE council’s revised parking scheme is nothing less than a sop to soften the blow of the massive increases for residents’ and business parking permits, which have risen by up to 100 per cent. 

In response to residents’ fears regarding the inevitable abuse of this ill-thought-out scheme, we are assured council enforcement officers will patrol the streets around the Arsenal stadium and other affected areas to deal with those misusing visitor vouchers. 

However, those legitimately using the vouchers will now be entitled to park in hitherto restricted areas. So what’s the point? 

This issue also begs the question as to why the officials referred to are failing to deal with the widespread misuse of disabled badges around the stadium on match days. Will these fraud teams be diverted from other duties or, as I suspect, will taxpayers have to fund additional staff to enforce the scheme?

With regard to the increased charges, it is my understanding that revenue raised from parking which is in excess of that needed to finance parking controls may be used for related services such as highway and footway maintenance. 

However, this should supplement existing budgets rather than fund them solely or in part. If the extra revenue raised from these increased charges corresponds with, and is used to cover, any cuts to the highways maintenance budget, this could be illegal or at least a breach of the intention of the regulations, and could lead to an investigation by the District Auditor.
Dave Barnes
Islington Taxpayers Alliance