Lords let down: Campaigners frustrated after political manoeuvring fails to halt parking charge plan for Richmond and Bushy parks (From Richmond and Twickenham Times)

Lords let down: Campaigners frustrated after political manoeuvring fails to halt parking charge plan for Richmond and Bushy parks

11:23am Friday 12th March 2010 in

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Campaigners today lashed out at politicians after squabbling between opposition parties saw the House of Lords fail to scrap parking charges in Richmond and Bushy parks.

However, they vowed to fight on with their bid to halt the controversial parking scheme despite being dealt the crushing blow.

Scores of park users gathered in Parliament on Wednesday night to watch as peers voted against a Liberal Democrat “fatal motion” – a measure only used three times before – which would have seen parking charges killed off completely.

Instead, the House opted to pass a Conservative motion calling on the Government to rethink its decision to introduce fees in the Royal Parks-run open spaces.

Members of the Friends of Bushy and Home Parks (FBHP) said they were “bitterly disappointed” by the result, as – while it does block the charges for the time being – it does not put the Government under any obligation to change its mind.

For an hour the sitting Lords heard both Lib Dem and Tory peers talk passionately about the need to keep the parks free for visiting drivers – but Conservatives refused to support the fatal motion, which they labelled an “extreme step”.

To ensure a message was delivered to the Government, the Lib Dems were subsequently forced to give the thumbs up to the Tory motion.

FBHP chairman, Pieter Morpurgo, said: “I think the politics has actually harmed our cause rather than helped it.

“I’m talking about two separate groups of people who have both declared the same objectives, in other words get rid of parking charges, but were not able to agree among themselves. It’s frustrating.”

Richmond Park MP Susan Kramer said she was “deeply saddened” by the vote, but promised to continue campaigning. Her parliamentary rival Zac Goldsmith described it as a “great result; the very best that was possible”. He said: “It will be difficult for the Government to ignore it.”

The nation’s Lords and Baronesses listened as fellow peers raised familiar issues about parking charges including drivers spilling out on to residential roads to avoid the fees, a lack of public transport to the parks and an unfair financial burden being heaped on less wealthy visitors.

There appeared to be support for a congestion charge toll to get revenue from drivers using the open spaces as a shortcut instead of park users.

However, Labour Lord, Bill Brett, who noted how much both borough parks were “cherished”, reiterated the Government’s commitment to the parking charges.

Tory peer, Lord Greville Howard, said: “If a Conservative Government is elected on May 6 these regulations will be rescinded and charges annulled.”

Attacking the Conservatives’ stance, Baroness Jenny Tonge, who lives in Kew and tabled the fatal motion, said: “I cannot see this piece of legislation about car parking charges in Richmond and Bushy parks being top of David Cameron’s list the day after the election.”

Mr Morpurgo and fellow campaigner Annie Murray viewed the result as a defeat.

But Mr Morpurgo said: “We fight on and hope to persuade everybody these parking charges really can be killed off.”

Ms Murray added: “The next stage is planning permission. We will fight against proposals to implement things like parking metres.”

Poor families 'hardest hit'

The Government has hidden the possibility that poor families visiting Richmond Park could face yearly parking charges of up to £780, it has been claimed.

According to research commissioned by the Royal Parks, the agency responsible for introducing the Government-approved parking charges, 55 per cent of Bushy Park users and 56 per cent of visitors to Richmond Park are from higher socio-economic grades.

Culture Minister Margaret Hodge has used this as proof the controversial fees of up to £1 an hour will not unfairly penalise poorer communities.

However, parliamentary candidate for Richmond Park, Zac Goldsmith, and MP for Putney, Justine Greening, rubbished the findings.

They claimed the "hidden" research report showed “almost half of those driving to Richmond Park are from working class and lower middle class families".

The fellow Conservatives believe drivers will be slapped with annual bills of up to £780, with a typical user paying £180 a year.

Ms Greening, Shadow Minister for London, said: “The Government’s cynical and selective analysis is a deliberate attempt to hide the real impact these parking charges will have.

“Many have no choice but to drive to the park. These charges are a stealth tax on our quality of life, taxing residents trying to enjoy this wonderful resource.”

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