Newham residents and campaign groups are divided over council plans to introduce new car parking charges in 2021.
From 6 January, Newham’s car permit charges will be based on vehicle emission levels. The council claims these new measures will encourage car owners to invest in electric vehicles, and take up active travel such as walking and cycling to help improve air quality.
Newham resident and teacher, Simone Andi, has mixed opinions about the emission charges, particularly as a key worker. She said it is “increasingly difficult” to live in London due to rising costs.
She said: “The climate emergency is a real one, so while I welcome any initiative that seeks to improve the quality of our environment, I have a problem with the fact that there is no real financial help for the self employed or those on lower incomes to be able to afford the switch to an electric or lower emissions vehicle.”
Last month Maynul Islam launched a petition calling on the public to stop Newham Council introducing the charges. In the ongoing petition, he states that the charges are being used to “squeeze money out of motorists” and that the high levels of pollution in the Borough are contributed to by City Airport.
The petition was followed by recent calls to pause fees because of the financial impact COVID-19 was having on vulnerable groups, such as those who have had a reduced income since the pandemic.
Cycling campaign group, Newham Cyclists, strongly supports the council’s moves and believes that the parking charges will help meet safety, public health and environmental needs.
Newham Cyclists co-ordinator Arnold Ridout said: “The Covid-19 crisis has emphasised that active travel is all the more important and we welcome the steps being taken by the council to rebalance the restricted streets of Newham away from motor traffic towards active travel.”
Arnold said that the initiative is bringing Newham in line with what other councils are already doing. He stressed that further steps are needed to improve air quality such as “the introduction of low traffic neighbourhoods, cycle corridors on through routes, reducing legal pavement parking, and dealing with endemic illegal parking.”
Under the new charges, residents will be issued electronic permits removing the paper based permit. Newham will also be installing 80 electric vehicle charging points across the Borough, ensuring residents can switch to electric vehicles with ease.
For more details about the emissions-based charges visit: www.newham.gov.uk/emissionsbasedcharging
No news is bad news
Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.
The audiences they serve know less, understand less, and can do less.
If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation.
Choose the news. Don’t lose the news.
Monthly direct debit
Annual direct debit
£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month. £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month's paper before anyone else.
Enjoying Newham Voices? You can help support our not-for-profit newspaper and website from £5 per month.