CO2 and car parking charges: a briefing paper by Cllr Serge Lourie

11.24.25am GMT Mon 26th Feb 2007

Why do you think the increased charges are needed?

Global warming is the single greatest challenge facing the world today and Richmond upon Thames has one of the highest levels of CO2 emissions per household in London. The Council has pledged to put sustainability at the heart of everything it does and be an exemplar among local government in working to combat climate change. Local government has a vital role to play in combating this problem. There is much that we can and must do at local level.

What about MPVs. Doesn't it penalise people for the cars they need?

We believe these proposals will make people think carefully about what kind of cars they really do need. We accept that some people will be disadvantaged by the these charges, but similarly drivers of less polluting vehicles will pay less, by up to 50%.

What about people with drives? Doesn't the charge target the people who are less able to afford it in this way?

Local authorities have limited powers and we have to take action where we can.

Do you think there's a danger residents may switch from one to two cars, increasing pressure on parking spaces and increasing their overall CO2 footprint?

No, evidence from our wide-ranging consultation suggests that if people do switch it will be to less polluting cars. Almost two-thirds of residents said that if implemented, the new charges would make them consider switching to a vehicle with lower CO2 emissions.

Do you think there's a danger it might encourage owners to drive their car to work so they can avoid having to have a parking permit altogether?

They would still have to park at work and incur petrol costs. We do not believe the increased charges are such that people will suddenly drive to work, but evidence from our public consultation shows that they are making people think about their behaviour and consider ways in which to reduce their carbon footprint.

What could you do to tackle non-resident with high CO2 cars driving through the borough? These create more CO2 than cars parked on the road after all.

Unfortunately we have no powers to tackle traffic passing through the borough. We would like to see more local authorities follow our lead and encourage their residents to switch to less polluting vehicles.

Do you think such measures should be co-ordinated by central government (as the AA has called for)?

We cannot bury our heads in the sand. For too long we have been waiting for central government to take the lead. Climate change is a reality and local authorities must act now.

Do you think more local authorities should consider the move? Is it their responsibility to try and drive down vehicle emissions on a local level?

Yes, we always said this was bigger than Richmond upon Thames and would only have a real impact if other authorities followed suit. So far eight other London borough's either have implemented, or are considering similar schemes and we have started a debate both nationally and internationally. To tackle climate change we all have to think global but act local and if all authorities across the country follow our lead, this will have a significant impact on CO2 emissions.

What other measures are you considering to reduce the CO2 emissions from cars, perhaps through traffic planning or exclusion zones?

Travel plans for schools, encouraging sustainable transport to and from school. Promoting travel plans to local businesses - we recently organised a seminar attended by the RFU, Hampton Court Palace and the London Wetland Centre. We are promoting sustainable transport and improving facilities for cyclists both in terms of extra cycle routes and stands.