---

NEW CAR PARK CHARGES IMPLEMENTED

Despite vigorous and widespread protests objecting to the introduction of car park charges in our out-of-town car parks, including petitions amounting to some 22,000 strong, Havering Council have introduced the new parking charges regime across the borough as from Sunday 27 January.

Havering Park Residents' Association Councillor Andrew Mann said: “Thousands of people signed our petition against these car park charges, hundreds of residents and shop workers will be affected by these charges, the policy is going to be detrimental to our Town Centres and will drive people further away to shop.

”The Residents Association group on Havering Council have been against these proposals ever since they were first looked at last year, we have presented petitions to the Mayor of Havering with over 22,000 signatures, it seems unbelievable that the Administration could ignore all of those people.

”The charges will apply from 7am until 6pm , Monday through to Saturday, with a max 4 hour stay and no return allowed. It might only be 20p for 2 hours, but how long will this last; we all know this is only the beginning of the slippery slope to future price increases.

” Only your Residents Association has spoken out and objected to this Car Parking Policy, we feel that the people who signed our petition last year are being totally ignored by the Tory Council and Member of Parliament”.

28.1.08