Local Authorities - Permit rip off in cost in living crisis...

sandyring

Hopefully this is the correct forum, I've created a petition in the hope it will get enough signatures and thus be discussed at a higher level of government.

In a nut shell this doesn't seem to be limited to a specific local authority as far as I am aware, where parking permits were originally introduced so that people could park outside their own property and those who didn't live there couldn't (usually around hospitals and more residental town centre based properties) - this was fair enough a minimal amount was charged to cover costs, however now clearly local governments are using it as a cash cow.

Furthermore there seems to be a huge amount of other different permits, all in all designed to ensure maximum amount of money is extracted to the coffers; case in point a business which has multiple people in some manner involved with work there, some sporadic and other once in a blue moon, they have to have a specific permit and all have to have one each, the pool permit has been removed from the equation again to get more funds into the coffers - on top of this there seems to be discrimation around what types of 'business permit' you can get based on your business type.

All of this in a cost of living crisis. What the aim of this petition is for a more centralised managed permit system so that local authorties cannot go off and charge whatever they want.

You can sign and share it here:

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/642042

sheramber

The cost of living crisis is affecting local authorities the same as everybody else.

Some local authorities have gone  Bankrupt as they cannot deliver essential services any longer.

The only way they can get more money is to raise it from Joe Public.  The Government are providing it.

There is also the route many are taking now to discourage people against travelling by car ,

Be careful what you wish for as,  if all local authorities had to follow the same lines,  the result mey be more restrictions and higher costs, depending on who sets them.

The person to speak to is you local councillor who would be involved in the decisions.

user1977

Who's more likely to be responsive to any issues you have with your local permit scheme - your councillors, or somebody in Westminster?

What's the advantage in permit schemes being "consistent"? I don't see any need for the parking on my street to be treated in a similar way to that in a completely different city.

Bigphil1474

It is a problem when Central Government cut local government funding by 40% or more then expect them to still provide essential services. Money has to come from some where. Permits are always going to vary in cost depending on where they are for, and what they are for. A local resident permit in a relatively quiet street is gonna cost less than a business permit in a busy area - an element of supply and demand. We have some 'all resident zone' permits, and they cost a fortune. 

Dave_5150

Wouldn't the more simple solution be to not buy a permit if you feel it is a rip off rather than petitioning the nations leaders?

Ectophile

Dave_5150 said:

Wouldn't the more simple solution be to not buy a permit if you feel it is a rip off rather than petitioning the nations leaders?

Then you have to give up owning a car.  Or see if you can rent a private garage.

There really isn't a good reason why these permit schemes should charge more than the cost of running them.

Dave_5150

Ectophile said:

Then you have to give up owning a car.  Or see if you can rent a private garage.

There really isn't a good reason why these permit schemes should charge more than the cost of running them.

Locally there's only four streets that need residents permits. They are £60 a year and provide no guarantee of finding a space so residents often don't buy them and simply park in a nearby street instead.

jon81uk

Why not lobby your local/county council to improve the bus service instead?

sandyring

From my experience local authorities DON'T LISTEN AND WON'T LISTEN, yes they will take your enquiry and then reply with some policy.

DullGreyGuy

sandyring said:
case in point a business which has multiple people in some manner involved with work there, some sporadic and other once in a blue moon, they have to have a specific permit and all have to have one each, the pool permit has been removed from the equation again to get more funds into the coffers - on top of this there seems to be discrimation around what types of 'business permit' you can get based on your business type.

I think you will get a lot less sympathy if you are really taking about business permits rather than personal ones, especially as you are talking about "cost of living" which isnt a term applied to businesses. 

There is a clear attempt to use the permits to drive behaviours. In our area a ULEZ compliant vehicle for a business is £676 and a non-compliant £811, an electric vehicle has a 50% discount. Resident permits are much cheaper but there is still banding based on the nature of the vehicle. 

As others have said, councils are going bankrupt and parking fees have the dual benefits of driving behaviour so people move to public transport (two of the barmaids at our local now come in by bus rather than driving) and generating revenue. Most will think businesses can afford fees and better they are charged more than residents (they can at least offset cost against taxes)

sandyring

As a business owner I am not against paying for a permit, but it's overly complicated and convoluted - I woudl happily pay more for a 'pool permit' which anyone visiting for the business can use rather than being sent a huge long list of permits and even someone hardly ever visiting the business would need to buy a permit.