26 Jun 2025
Harpenden Town Council might have decided not to pursue a Judicial Review over the district’s imposition of new on-street parking charges in the town, but that doesn’t mean the fight is over.
On Monday evening, HTC councillors passed a motion instructing officers to write to SADC requesting that they review the charges relating to on-street parking bays in and around Harpenden High Street.
The motion also included a request that SADC consider in its review the option of to extending the initial free period from the current 30 minutes back to one hour.
The motion referred to the impact that SADC’s parking policy has had on Harpenden businesses as the reason for requiring the immediate review.
Last week’s St Albans Times revealed how the revenue generated by car parking charges in the town is far in excess of the income predictions included in the budget.
The total income received over the seven week period from February 17, when the charges were implemented, to the end of the financial year was £38,739 against expected income of £28,000 (£4,000 per week).
In addition, a further £10,900 has been received from parking fines as of June 10.
Harpenden town councillor Richard Scott, who has fought against the charges for months, said: “I was pleased to join my Harpenden Town Council colleagues in voting for continuing to engage constructively with St Albans district council in standing up for Harpenden’s High Street.
“Everyone knows that the SADC Limited Waiting Bays policy was imposed upon Harpenden without a democratic mandate and against the express wishes of Harpenden’s residents, retailers and Town Council.
“We now know that SADC’s LWB policy is generating £5,500 a week in parking revenues (excluding fines). This is well in excess of the budgeted figure and demonstrates that SADC have the flexibility to consider changes to their policy.
“I readily agree that some of the changes introduced via the LWB policy have been positive. In particular the requirement to register upon parking, which some users have found easier than others, has enabled much improved enforcement and reduced the numbers of vehicles parked illegally and for long periods in and around the High Street. I also accept that many people now find it easier to park on the High Street, given the higher number of available spaces.
“But these improvements, and the financial gains made by SADC, cannot and should not come at the expense of the hard-working and incredible businesses that make our High Street so special. We know that many of these businesses have seen substantial impacts to their revenues since SADC introduced the LWB policy. This is why I joined my fellow town councillors – Liberal Democrat and Conservative – in voting in favour of the motion to continue the engagement with SADC.
“I would also call upon Harpenden’s MP Victoria Collins to continue her engagement with SADC and to join us in encouraging an immediate review of the Harpenden policy.”
Conservative town councillor Sam Spiri added: “I supported the proposal to encourage SADC to extend parking from 30 to 60 minutes on the High Street without charge, and was pleased that a motion to this description passed. It would be a positive change that would serve to somewhat alleviate the additional pressures that have been put upon both high-street businesses and residents.
“However I was astonished and appalled that the Liberal Democrats actively took the decision to decline to ask for a meaningful public consultation into that proposal and the parking situation in general. It gets to the core of the problem we have in Harpenden with this cohort of Liberal Democrats: they fundamentally do not care what residents think and do not want to provide the opportunity for residents to be heard. One can only imagine it is because they do not like what they will hear.”
