Richmond Council Looks to Encourage Eco-Friendly Cars
Richmond Council is looking at plans to use the CPZ parking permit fees to encourage cars with low CO2 emissions. The current proposal would actually lower the cost of permits for people with smaller, more efficient cars, but raise the price of a permit by 200% for the worst polluters.
According to a recent survey by primemove.com, Richmond borough is one of the most likely to have large 4×4s, 63% more likely than the average area in London, with 5,099 cars registered since 2001.
| Local authority | Index* | Number of Cars** |
| City of London | 513 | 706 |
| Kensington & Chelsea | 215 | 7,252 |
| Westminster | 198 | 8,277 |
| Richmond | 163 | 5,099 |
- Index score: likelihood of owning a 4×4 where norm is 100
- Number registered since 2001
Richmond Council is asking for feedback on this proposal with an online questionnaire
Links
- article from thisislondon.co.uk
- Richmond Council’s proposed changes
- Richmond Council questionnaire
Comments
My first point is one of logistics: Administration of the scheme would lead to an inexorable rise in administration and bureaucracy - leading to a rise of council tax not covered by the increased parking costs. Have the costs really been thought out in full. Second point is one of anomolies: An old banger,unproperly serviced and averaging 20,000 miles pa is producing more pollution than a 4×4, well maintained doing 5,000 miles pa. Hence, one has to draw the conclusion that this is little to do with green politics and all to do with PR and revenue raising. The only fair method of punishing the polluters is extra tax at the petrol pump across the country.
Mary on 2006-11-09 17:26:36 +0000I would also point out that this only covers the cars in the CPZ. South Western Road, and many near Moormead Park have no CPZ and a huge amount of people buying massive estates and 4×4s. They will incur no green tax.
However, I think the Council doesn't have many options to go after these cars (e.g. tax disc is national, etc...)
It would be good if people themselves were a little more conscientious.
Peter on 2006-11-11 08:06:33 +0000Surveys to discover whether or not the residents of Mormead, South Western Road and the rest of St Margarets village want a CPZ will start 'soon', which I take to mean before Christmas.
Chris Squire on 2006-11-12 17:27:42 +0000All we do is fill out surveys of what we want. They just did this six months ago. Why no action!
angela on 2006-11-12 17:49:46 +0000The survey 6 months ago was done by the then councillors to bolster their re-election campaign [unsuccessfully, a sit turned out]. The former adminsistation had no plans to do a formal survey [which is expensive]. The new Lib Dem administration has found the money to do a number of surveys and your new ward councillors have [as they promised to do] persuaded them that St Mags should be one of them.
Action will only follow the survey if it shows that a majority of those responding actually want a CPZ in their road. Opinion is divided on this, I believe, but as an outsider it seems obvious to me that the main problem is at night, when the CPZ doesn't apply, and having a CPZ will only make it worse by making some spaces unavailable [in the cause of safety, particularly for pedestrians].
The survey cannot start until the new charges for the CPZ have been decided, which Cabinet will do early in December.
Chris Squire on 2006-11-16 12:22:22 +0000I am concerned about the lack of any real data the council has before it starts it's green taxes. We need answers to simple questions like what perecentage of CO2 in Richmond comes from cars within the CPZ and what reduction targets do the council have for this scheme, how will they measure and track this? How long will they consult before acting, over what period will they introduce these charges and how much will the average CPZ householder be charged extra?
Andrew Price on 2006-11-25 09:18:29 +0000Add a comment