Council taking final steps towards CO2 related parking charges

1.45.48pm GMT Thu 22nd Mar 2007

Richmond Council is continuing on its way towards becoming the first council in the country to put in place CO2 related residents' parking charges.

Following a meeting of the Transport Consultative Group (TCG) at York House in Twickenham on Monday night Cllr David Trigg has approved the making of the necessary traffic orders. The move comes on the eve of the Gordon Brown's budget which is expected to announce significant road tax increases on the most polluting vehicles. Following his decision Cllr Trigg, who is cabinet member for Traffic, Transport and Parking on Richmond Council said:

"It is my decision that we should now make the necessary traffic orders so that we can go on to implement our groundbreaking parking charges. On Monday night at TCG we heard a particularly intense debate with strong views expressed both for and against what we are proposing. I have had to think very carefully and have not made this decision lightly. However, now that I have decided, I am absolutely clear that it is the right thing to do. Global warming and the challenge to live more sustainably is simply a huge issue. As a council we have pledged to do everything we can to combat climate change and to provide strong leadership for others. I now look forward to being the first of many local authorities to put in place this groundbreaking scheme. It will help reduce greenhouse gases and at the same time make a very large contribution to the debate about how we should all behave if we are serious about safeguarding the planet for future generations. This policy will form a key part or our council's wider environmental plans over the coming years."