Neighbours have branded the future introduction of higher parking charges for drivers of more polluting cars in Reading ‘a money grab’.
Reading Borough Council is moving ahead with introducing emissions-based parking charges.
The higher tariffs will apply for council car parks, on-street parking and residential permit parking.
An informal consultation on emissions-based parking charges held in March received 275 responses.
A respondent to the consultation said: “This is yet another money grab from the council and a war on the motorist.
“Yes, we should do something about through traffic, but residents of Reading need cars. Permits are already extortionate for on-street spaces where people actually live and this is making it worse. In addition to the traffic-inducing bus lanes – which will worsen air quality.”
Another respondent said: “I can assure you such fees are a deterrent to coming into Reading and that is detrimental to Reading’s economy as I will simply spend my money elsewhere. There are so many alternatives; this is simply bad for Reading.
“The answer is to reduce bus fares and make public transport cheap. Very cheap and frequent. Then more people will use it as using a car becomes more expensive.
“This utopia, however, doesn’t work in the suburbs and a car is needed as public transport isn’t a realistic option unless you want to go where the bus goes at the time the bus goes.
“What actually happens is bus fares go up.
“This is a proposal which is no more than a money grab from Reading residents and which will not go away even if everybody drove electric cars as the council will get used to the revenue stream.”
Emissions-based parking rates were discussed at a recent council meeting.
John Ennis (Labour, Southcote), lead councillor for climate strategy and transport, said: “There are only 29 per cent of people who actually have a permit.
“We do listen, we do look at it, but we also understand that there is a sharp elbow approach by many drivers who want to drive to the toilet or the bathroom or outside of school if they could.
“We appreciate that they want to try and get the car up the stairs to their bedroom because we know there are a lot of people who want to drive everywhere.”
Cllr Ennis pointed out that drivers of cars that emit below 151 g per kilogram will pay nothing extra, with fares remaining as they are.
After that, drivers will be charged in five scaled tariff bands, with cllr Ennis citing data that drivers will have to pay 22p, 36p, 55p, 70p and 80p per week extra, depending on the band.
He said: “30 per cent of Reading don’t own a car, they don’t pay, but they have to suffer the air quality.”
Councillors voted to move ahead with emissions-based charging at the traffic management sub-committee meeting on June 11.
The charges, subject to a statutory consultation, will be introduced in October.
