Westminster’s new parking charges will be “unwanted Christmas present” for West End shoppers

News from Westminster Labour

Westminster’s new parking charges will be “unwanted Christmas present” for West End shoppers

By Westminster Labour ⋅ August 1, 2011 ⋅ Post a comment

Westminster Council’s plans to introduce Sunday and evening parking charges in the West End will come into force on 1st December, if agreed by the Council’s Cabinet later today, forcing shoppers to pay £4.40 an hour to park to do their Christmas shopping.

Shoppers coming to the West End on Sunday’s after 12 noon (the second busiest shopping day of the week), will have to pay £4.40 an hour, the highest in the UK, and could add another £20 to the cost of coming to the West End. Evening shoppers in the West End will have to pay £2.20 an hour after 6.30pm on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, with charges doubling to £4.40 an hour after 6.30pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings.

Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg, Leader of the Labour Group, said; “New parking charges are Westminster Council’s unwanted ‘Christmas Present’ to West End shoppers and West End stores. At a time when shoppers can chose to come to the West End or sit at home and shop on the internet, these new parking charges could drive many shoppers from the West End and damage the West End economy and jobs. The run up to Christmas is vital to the retail industry and Westminster’s plans to introduce Sunday and evening parking charges on 1st December is the worst possible news for West End jobs and the local economy.

“Westminster’s parking charges are all about raising money for the Council and nothing to do with traffic management. The Council’s Director of Finance has told me that the Council’s parking income is predicted to be up to £4 million below budget estimate and these proposed parking charges are the Council’s way of filling the gap.”

Other news from Westminster Labour