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6:00pm Saturday 30th January 2010
Hundreds of campaigners today braved the cold by gathering in Richmond Park to protest against parking charges.
The demonstration sent a clear message to Culture Minister Margaret Hodge, as the crowd shouted in unison: "Keep our parks free."
The huge turnout forced police officers to close off a packed Pembroke Lodge car park - meaning many passionate protestors had to find alternative parking and walk to join the rally.
Stewards claimed the turnout could have been close to 1,000.
Although campaigners were told by officials on arrival that they were not allowed to wave banners or placards, many ignored the request.
It was a clear sign of defiance against the Government's decision to allow Royal Parks to charge up to £1 an hour to park in Richmond and Bushy parks.
Politicians addressed the masses in front of a giant banner, on which demonstrators signed their names in support of the protest. It is to be taken to Downing Street at a later date to drum home the message that the charges are not popular.
Rally organiser and parliamentary candidate for Richmond Park, Zac Goldsmith, said: "I think the parking chaos that we have caused here today is just a fraction of what is to come.
"There are so many people here today - and there are still more coming. It proves what an incredible misjudgement the parks’ authority has made.
"Richmond Park, and Bushy Park as well, is an oasis in this capital. The one thing that will change that is the presence of parking wardens."
Richmond Park MP Susan Kramer and Putney MP Justine Greening said they had met Margaret Hodge on more than one occasion to press home the case for not introducing charges in the parks.
Ms Kramer said: “She is a person who seems to know the price of everything and the value of nothing.”
She said she found it “absolutely appalling” that people could be charged to come and relax and enjoy the park.
And she added that she and Twickenham MP Vince Cable would use every power they had to get the charges overturned and urged people to write to Ms Hodge opposing the charges.
Dr Cable, whose constituency includes Bushy Park, was critical of the Royal Parks describing it is an "arrogant unelected quango". He said: "It is not just that it is breaching a principle but it completely rejected any practical alternatives.
“They took absolutely no notice of people’s views.”
“This battle is not over.”
He said the parking charges could still be stopped because they did not yet have parliamentary approval and because opposition parties were “absolutely committed to repealing this”.
He added: “If you keep up the pressure and we keep up the pressure this ridiculous measure can be stopped.”
nanette, ealing says...
6:56pm Sat 30 Jan 10
MeganN, Kingston says...
8:07pm Sat 30 Jan 10
Julie Hill, says...
8:20pm Sat 30 Jan 10
jeremyhm, twickenham says...
10:18pm Sat 30 Jan 10
Sanity99, Twickenham says...
11:57pm Sat 30 Jan 10
marie33, Kingston says...
2:19am Sun 31 Jan 10
twoquid, says...
3:51am Sun 31 Jan 10
marie33 wrote:Agreed. We bring our dogs here daily and until today's rally, were sad about proposed charges, but not entirely surprised. It is London, it's big, it's beautiful and it needs upkeep.
Nanette, what do you mean, without a carpark?? No-one has said anything about closing the carparks! What people are moaning about is being asked to pay a couple of pounds to park inside the park......which incidentally is much less then it costs to get there by public transport!
TheParkie, Old Surrey says...
11:20am Sun 31 Jan 10
Yaffle1, Sutton says...
12:41pm Sun 31 Jan 10
TheParkie, Old Surrey says...
2:08pm Sun 31 Jan 10
alex twickenham, Twickenham says...
5:17pm Sun 31 Jan 10
LilacHamster, Hampton says...
5:33pm Sun 31 Jan 10
TheParkie, Old Surrey says...
8:19am Mon 1 Feb 10
LilacHamster, Hampton says...
11:20am Mon 1 Feb 10
Nayhead, london says...
12:08pm Mon 1 Feb 10
jane40travel, Putney says...
12:25pm Mon 1 Feb 10
TheParkie, Old Surrey says...
2:51pm Mon 1 Feb 10
Sanity99, Twickenham says...
3:43pm Mon 1 Feb 10
LilacHamster, Hampton says...
1:06pm Tue 2 Feb 10
LilacHamster, Hampton says...
1:20pm Tue 2 Feb 10
bandit63, twickenham says...
11:16am Wed 3 Feb 10
bandit63, twickenham says...
11:20am Wed 3 Feb 10
Phillip Taylor, Phillip Taylor says...
4:43pm Thu 4 Feb 10
TheParkie, Old Surrey says...
8:06am Sat 6 Feb 10
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Sanity99, Twickenham says...
6:19pm Sat 30 Jan 10