Residents in a major London borough have been left angry over a local council proposal which would effectively triple parking costs for visitors.
The controversial plans introduced by Haringey Council would scrap the current £5 daily visitor permits in favour of hourly permits costing £1.20 each.
The changes, outlined in a recent council consultation document, would impact residents in the eastern parts of the borough due to longer controlled parking hours.
Local opposition has already forced some concessions, with the council appearing to quietly drop an initial proposal to limit residents to just 40 hourly visitor permits per year.
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However, the council retains the power to introduce such limits in the future under the proposed Traffic Management Order. Under the current system, residents pay £5 for a daily visitor permit or £1.20 for each hourly permit in Haringey's Controlled Parking Zones.
The council's new proposal would eliminate the daily permit option entirely, forcing residents to rely solely on hourly permits, meaning visitors looking to park for longer than four hours will see more expensive costs.
The impact varies dramatically depending on location within the borough. Western areas typically have Controlled Parking Zones (CPZs) operating just two hours per day, five days a week, whereas eastern areas face restrictions for 10.5 hours daily, six days a week, with even longer hours during event days.
The council stated: "No decision has yet been taken as to whether or not we will implement any of these policies. What happens next will depend upon our impartial consideration of the comments received, determining if implementing any of the changes is in the best interest of residents and businesses."
The changes form part of a wider overhaul of parking charges that includes new surcharges for larger vehicles and subsequent permits per household.
In response to the planned cost hikes, one resident launched a petition which has already gained over 3,500 signatures.
The petition stated: “It is objectionable that the council is seeking to increase the cost of parking at all, at a time when residents are still suffering the effects of a cost of living crisis. It is much worse that the council is proposing to increase costs disproportionately in the least-well-off areas.”
In Highgate, where parking restrictions last just two hours, visitors will pay £2.40 for a full day's parking using two hourly permits under the new rules. However, residents in Seven Sisters, one of the borough's less wealthy areas, face costs of £13.20 for the same day's parking due to their 10.5-hour restrictions.
The petition argued that this could create an unfair burden on residents in less affluent areas. The price difference has led to accusations that the council's proposals disproportionately impact the borough's poorest communities.
The council stated: "Circumstantial evidence suggests daily visitor permits are open to being used for purposes other than intended - typically by commuters using permits to park for the day, or by those residing in properties without entitlement to resident permits."
The impact is particularly severe for residents in areas with longer CPZ hours, who rely on visitor permits for essential visits. Residents have called for the council to publish evidence of any misuse before implementing such sweeping changes.
Campaigners note that the proposed Traffic Management Order still allows the council to introduce permit limits in the future. Drivers have until November 20 to share feedback on the potential parking hikes before the council makes its final decision.
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The council added: "We're now putting forward a number of potential policy changes to statutory consultation to understand your views. Following this consultation a decision will be made on whether some or all of the policies are adopted."
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