As I anticipated, Brent Council's big rise in parking charges is attracting controversy. Some of Brent Council's previous problems in setting parking policy are referred to by Martin Francis here. It is a naturally controversial issue and I can recall meetings that degenerated into shouting matches about it.
My view is that the Council and residents have had a kind of covenant based on consent. Residents in controlled parking zones get two options:
Pay a fee and get effectively privileged parking in your neighbourhood because outsiders can't park there.
OR
Pay nothing, but accept that many more cars park in your area so you may find far harder to park close to your house.
Brent has only installed such zones where the majority of residents have voted for them. This latest very steep rise looks to me as if it may be taken as a breach of this "contract". To many residents, it may look like an attempt by councillors to squeeze them for money. I wonder how many of the present Cabinet actually live in CPZs themselves?
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