Pay by the metre to park your car

How we reported the parking charge story.

05 March 2007 09:07

Pioneering plans to charge drivers for parking permits based on the length of their vehicles have gone out for public consultation - and the changes could be agreed this summer.

Transport bosses say owners of gas-guzzling cars should pay more to park outside their homes as they try to encourage people to switch to smaller, more environmentally-friendly cars.

Under plans revealed in the Evening News last November, owners of cars measuring less than 3.92m, such as a Vauxhall Corsa, will continue to pay £16 a year for parking permits.

Medium size cars measuring between 3.92m and 4.45m will be charged £22 per year and the owners of cars longer than 4.45m will have to pay £30 per year.

Council officers recommended the move as an incentive to cut carbon dioxide emissions because smaller cars tend to produce fewer emissions.

They also said that if enough people switched to smaller cars, it could free up more than 520 spaces in a city where demand for parking permits outstrips the number of spaces available.

A spokeswoman for Norwich City Council said: “As well as taking up less space, smaller cars also produce, on average, less greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution than larger cars. So, small cars are also better for the environment. As part of our sustainable transport strategy we want to encourage the use of smaller cars, and car sharing.”

A sample study of 309 cars in Clarence Road, Marlborough Road, Orchard Street, Portland Street and Trafford Road showed the average car length was 4.12m.

Council officers will be able to establish the length of cars by getting details from The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, which has agreed in principle to provide the information for vehicles with a parking permit for a nominal charge. Owners of cars which run on alternative fuel will be entitled to free permits.

The city council wants the public to have their say on the proposed changes by e-mailing transport@norwich.gov.uk, or by writing to The Transportation Team, Norwich City Council, Room 331, City Hall, Norwich NR2 1NH.

The Norwich Highways Agency Committee hopes to consider all responses at its meeting in May and, if approved, the price changes will come into effect later this year.

Brian Morrey, vice chairman of the committee, said he was keen to find out what the public thought of the plans.

He said: “This is a chance for the public to have their say. It is all about trying to be greener and was well received when it went through the council's executive.”

In south-west London a controversial scheme was introduced last month to charge the owners of Jaguars, Mercedes or 4x4s three times the normal cost for parking permits. Families in Richmond who own two large cars could pay up to £750.

If the parking permit scheme is introduced it could yet be followed by a congestion charge in the city.

Do you think the changes to permit parking are a good idea? Write to Evening News Letters, Prospect House, Rouen Road, Norwich, NR1 1RE

e-mail eveningnewsletters@archant.co.uk or visit www.eveningnews24.co.uk/forums

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