Currently reading: 'War on motorists' to end
Government wants councils to slash parking fees as part of plans to end Labour's 'war on motorists'

Parking fees could be slashed across the UK as part of a series of efforts by the coalition government to end a decade-long war on motorists.

Communities secretary Eric Pickles has told councils he expects them to slash their car parking prices. Fees rose by as much as tenfold in some areas under the previous Labour government. This damaged some local economies as drivers stopped frequenting local shops.

Chas Hallett blog: Is the 'war on motorists' really over?

Under Pickles’ plan, local councils will no longer have to follow Whitehall regulations in setting high car parking charges in order to encourage drivers to use public transport instead.

The new plan will also derestrict the number of car parking spaces that can be built following the development of new homes.

Pickles said: “Whitehall’s addiction to micromanagement has created a parking nightmare, with stressed-out drivers running a gauntlet of unfair fines, soaring charges and a total lack of residential parking.

“Today the government is calling off Whitehall’s war on the motorist by scrapping the national policy restricting ­residential parking spaces and instructing councils to push up charges.”Darren Moss

Add a comment…