Lib Dems hand in free high street parking petition

Posted on 24th Feb 2014 by Lynne Featherstone

Last week Haringey Liberal Democrats submitted their petition calling for 30 minutes of free parking on local high streets. The petition has been signed by 1,750 people and will be officially received by Haringey Council at the Budget meeting on Wednesday 26^th February.

The Lib Dems believe that 30 minutes of free parking would boost trade on local high streets and support the independent shops that make Haringey’s high streets unique.

At the budget meeting on Wednesday the Liberal Democrat councillors will be putting forward a budget amendment to implement 30 minutes of free parking on local high streets. The proposal would be funded by cutting the council’s huge agency staff bill and by ending the automatic refilling of vacant posts, ensuring only those posts that are needed are filled.

The campaign by Haringey Lib Dems for 30 minutes of free parking attracted the support of traders in Muswell Hill who gathered a petition with over 5,000 signatures calling for lower parking charges.

The campaign for 30 minutes of free parking was sparked by the Labour-run council’s decision to double parking charges in Muswell Hill, Crouch End and Green Lanes from £1.40 to £3 per hour. So far the council has refused to bow to pressure from traders, residents and Haringey Lib Dems on the issue.

Cara Jenkinson, Lib Dem candidate for Muswell Hill and lead petitioner, comments:

“Haringey Labour’s high parking charges encourage people to drive further to out-of-town supermarkets where the parking is free. We want people to be able to stop, park and shop locally.

“Local people clearly want to see the Labour council take some action on parking. We had 1,700 people support the Lib Dem petition for 30 minutes free parking on local high streets. I hope councillors on all sides consider that when they vote on the Lib Dem budget amendment proposing free parking on local high streets.”

Lynne Featherstone, Lib Dem MP for Hornsey and Wood Green, comments:

“Local shopkeepers have told me that they are suffering because of these ridiculously high charges. 30 minutes of free parking is vital to keep small independent shops on our local high streets – and it would benefit residents too.

“Labour may say there’s no money available – but as the Lib Dem budget amendment shows – Labour-run Haringey Council could easily afford 30 minutes of free parking on local high streets by cutting the agency staff bill and not automatically filling jobs when people leave.”

Labour’s half-price Christmas parking plan doesn’t go far enough

Posted on 6th Nov 2013 by Lynne Featherstone

Haringey Liberal Democrats have been calling for 4 days of free parking at Christmas on local high streets, shopping areas and council car parks. The Labour council have rejected those calls and are instead only offering half-price parking on 7 days in the run up to Christmas but only if you use a mobile phone to pay.

The opposition say that the Christmas parking proposals put forward by Labour do not go far enough and that there should be free parking for 4 days in the run up to Christmas at local shopping areas for everyone not just for people who use mobile phones to pay.

The Lib Dems have called for the free parking in the run-up to Christmas to help local traders who are struggling and to encourage residents to do their Christmas shopping locally. The Liberal Democrats have previously campaigned for 30 minutes of free parking on local high streets and launched a petition calling for the measure which has been signed by hundreds of people.

Last year the Lib Dems also submitted a motion to a council meeting calling for free parking in the run up to Christmas to be followed by 30 minutes of free parking on the borough’s high streets all year round. The idea was rejected by Labour councillors. Haringey’s Labour politicians are still refusing to budge on the question of lowering parking charges permanently.

Cllr Richard Wilson, Liberal Democrat Leader of the Opposition, comments:

“Whilst any reduction in parking charges at Christmas is to be welcomed, the proposal put forward by Labour does not go far enough. We suggested free parking for 4 days in the run-up to Christmas but the council have instead gone for a few days of half-price parking for people who decide to pay by mobile. What about everyone else?

“Many other councils across the country give shoppers free parking on local high streets for several days in the weeks running up to Christmas, why can’t Haringey do the same?

“Local small businesses and traders need all the help they can get to keep our high streets distinctive and thriving. We think that Labour can and must do more to support our local high streets.

“I encourage residents to do as much Christmas shopping as they can locally and to support our campaign for 30 minutes of free parking on local high streets.”

Local Lib Dem MP, Lynne Featherstone, comments:

“Half price parking on weekends in December is better than nothing – but doesn’t go far enough to help local trader and shoppers. £1.50 an hour is still more than it costs to park in a superstore car park, for instance.

“The local Lib Dem call for four days of completely free parking would have made much more sense – it would have really incentivised shoppers and given our local high street traders a much needed boost.

“The Haringey Lib Dems and I will continue to support our traders through our campaign for 30 minutes free parking, and cheaper high street parking more generally.”

Lib Dems call for free Christmas parking on local high streets

Posted on 31st Oct 2013 by Lynne Featherstone

Haringey Liberal Democrats and Lynne Featherstone MP have called for 4 days of free parking at Christmas on local high streets, at shopping areas and council car parks.

The Lib Dems have called for the free parking in the run-up to Christmas to help local traders who are struggling and to encourage residents to do their Christmas shopping locally.

The Liberal Democrats have previously campaigned for 30 minutes of free parking on local high streets and launched a petition calling for the measure which has been signed by hundreds of people.

Haringey’s Labour politicians are still refusing to budge on the question of lowering parking charges permanently.

Cllr Richard Wilson, Liberal Democrat Leader of the Opposition, comments:

“Local small businesses and traders need all the help they can get to keep our high streets distinctive and thriving.

“Haringey Liberal Democrats are calling for free parking at Christmas to help local traders and boost our local shopping areas. We think that Labour can and must do more to support our local high streets.

“I encourage residents to do as much Christmas shopping as they can locally and to support our campaign for 30 minutes of free parking on local high streets.”

Local Lib Dem MP, Lynne Featherstone, comments:

“This year the Haringey Lib Dems and I have worked hard to support and promote independent shops. We ran the independent shops competition and fete, and have collected thousands of signatures to support our campaign for 30 minutes free parking, so people can pop into their favourite high street stores without worrying about parking charges.

“Contrast this with our local Labour Council – who have raised High Street parking charges to a whopping £3 an hour. Retailers have told me that this is stifling their businesses – but the Council will not listen.

“Now, we’re calling on Haringey Council to allow free parking on our local high streets for just four days in the run up to Christmas, to encourage people to buy presents in our local independent stores. It really is the least they could do.”

Haringey 20mph speed limit – Labour u-turn

Posted on 9th Jun 2013 by Lynne Featherstone

Hurrah! For years we (Liberal Democrats) have been campaigning for 20mph zones in Haringey – and now it’s paid off.

I guess Labour finally realised the level of support we had on this issue – and hence this massive u-turn – when for so long they refused to even consider it.

Campaigning works!

So thanks to everyone for supporting this campaign to date. We very much want to now know local peoples’ views on the detail so please fill in this survey.

Haringey Council wastes thousands in parking fine mess-up

Posted on 11th Jan 2012 by Lynne Featherstone

Information uncovered by local Liberal Democrats shows that last year Haringey Council had to cancel 277 parking tickets, at an estimated cost of £36,000, after it failed to respond to residents’ parking appeals in time.

Liberal Democrats have said that the information is evidence that the Council has handed out so many parking fines that it can not cope with the amount of appeals that are subsequently lodged. The Council has a duty to respond to an appeal contesting a parking fine within 56 days or the fine is written off.

Cllr Richard Wilson (Stroud Green) who unearthed the information, comments:

“It’s quite worrying that the Council is so keen to ticket residents that they can’t keep up with the appeals workload and enforce parking restrictions properly.

“Not only does this waste local residents’ time, energy and provide undue worry, local taxpayers may have lost out too due to the Council’s failure to respond in time.

“Some of the tickets that were automatically cancelled after 56 days may well have been legitimate, losing the council much-needed funds.”

Lynne Featherstone MP adds:

“This is another example of the fact that this Labour-run council is not on top of its finances, adding to an already long list with botched Ally Pally deals, and expensive new computers equipment, costing Haringey tax payers millions of pounds.

“In these tough times, when the Council is closing valued services like older people’s drop-in clubs and children centres, they need to take extra care with every penny, not waste it on mistakes like this.”