CAMDEN COUNCIL GIVES NEW ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY MEASURES FOR DRIVERS GO AHEAD

24 January 2007

A raft of environmentally friendly parking measures, for which the majority of residents could pay less, have been given the go-ahead by Camden Council.

The policies are amongst the first of their kind approved by a local authority in London and the UK, and will introduce:

Cheaper residents’ parking permits for low emission vehicles and higher charges for cars that emit more CO2
Free annual residents’ parking permits for electric vehicles that use renewably sourced electricity to re-charge
Free short-stay parking in Pay and Display bays for residents with electric vehicles and trials of a number of on-street re-charging points for electric vehicles

Camden Council’s policies aim to encourage residents to choose vehicles with lower CO2 emissions or electric cars, to help tackle climate change and local air quality. The council’s Executive (Environment) Sub Group agreed the plans at its meeting last night (23 January 2007) and the new residents’ parking permit policy could be introduced by the end of May.

Cllr Mike Greene, Executive Member for Environment, Camden Council, said:

“Camden Council wants to encourage residents to think about the way they get around and the impact that this has on climate change and air quality. We are being proportionate in saying ‘the polluter pays’ – the minority whose cars are causing greater damage to the environment will be charged proportionately more for their parking permits. The majority of Camden residents will actually be paying less. We want to encourage residents to take alternative transport to help tackle CO2 emissions, but when people do need to drive this offers them an incentive to switch to lower emission and electric cars if possible.”

Cllr Keith Moffitt, Leader of Camden Council, said:

“We are encouraging people to switch from higher emission vehicles and residents with electric cars will be able to park for free. We are asking them to use renewably sourced electricity to re-charge their cars, as will the on-street re-charging facilities that we will trial. We need to be taking the lead on tackling issues such as climate change and air quality locally, as well as responding nationally, and these new policies take another step in this direction.”

Under the scheme, the council estimates that around six out of 10 residents could pay less for their parking permit, whilst the minority who drive higher emission vehicles face higher charges. Electric car drivers would get a free residents’ parking permit, drivers of the lowest tariff cars would pay almost a quarter (22 per cent) less than the current cost of £90 for an annual permit, and the highest emitting vehicles would pay almost two thirds (61 per cent) more.

Camden Council will also introduce a new package of incentives for electric car drivers to encourage and promote their use. These include:

The annual residents’ parking permit will be free to those who re-charge their vehicle using renewable energy
Free pay and display/meter parking in Camden (north of the Euston Road) for resident electric vehicle permit holders, subject to the existing maximum stay
Trialling a small number of re-charging facilities for resident electric vehicle permit holders, initially south of the Euston Road, by March 2008. These will be on the street next to designated parking bays, for drivers to share and use for a limited time.

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