Barnet residents entitled to a ‘green’ parking permit for low emission vehicles now have to pay more than people with more environmentally unfriendly cars.

Barnet residents entitled to a ‘green’ parking permit for low emission vehicles now have to pay more than people with less environmentally friendly cars.

Residents with a green parking permit are unable to claim back the 250% increase in the cost of their permit, because green parking permits were not included in the Judicial Review into Barnet Council’s parking permit increases.

In 2011 the cost of parking permits across Barnet shot up. The green parking permits previously cost £15, but  jumped to £52.50. Meanwhile ordinary parking permits were increased from £40 to £100.

However the High Court ruled that the increase in the cost of the ordinary parking permit was “unfair” and should be reduced to £40.

The council has told residents who are trying to reclaim the increase on their green permit that they should  reapply for an ordinary parking permit and pay the same as people who don’t have lower emission cars.

This is a slap in the face for residents who are driving more environmentally friendly cars and indeed it is a bizarre message for Barnet  Council to send out at a time when it is vital that greenhouse gases are lowered.

Labour Councillor Alan Schneiderman has said:

“It is completely ridiculous that a ‘green’ parking permit is now even more expensive than a parking permit for an ordinary car, and it just highlights the sheer incompetence of the current Conservative administration.

“The whole point of a green permit being cheaper is because low emission cars are less harmful to the environment, but clearly Barnet Council do not consider green issues important.

“Their parking policy is a total shambles and needs a complete re-write, and as part of this review the council must get it right by consulting.”

Comments are closed.